New Delhi, Aug 31: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a public interest litigation seeking mandatory disclosure of ethanol content in petrol and greater transparency on the compatibility of ethanol-blended fuel with vehicles, directing the petitioner to pursue the matter before the appropriate High Court.
A Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Prasanna B. Varale refused to hear the plea filed by advocate N.K. Goswami while granting him liberty to seek relief before the High Court. “Go to HC and file it,” the Bench told the petitioner.
Appearing in person, Goswami submitted that he was not questioning the Centre’s ethanol-blending policy but was seeking disclosure of the ethanol percentage in petrol sold to consumers. He argued that citizens had a right to know the composition of the fuel they purchase, comparing it with ingredient disclosures on packaged food products. He also told the court that the issue concerned consumer rights rather than any personal benefit.
Attorney General R. Venkataramani opposed the petition, objecting to the manner in which it had been pursued. He argued that the petitioner was attempting to make the Union government answerable to him, described the litigation as a “proxy petition” and informed the court that a similar plea had already been dismissed by the Supreme Court last year.
The Bench ultimately declined to entertain the petition, leaving it open for the petitioner to approach the concerned High Court for appropriate relief.
The PIL sought directions requiring every petrol dispensing nozzle and fuel invoice to display the percentage of ethanol in the fuel being sold. It also requested publication of an official vehicle-wise compatibility database, a transparent transition framework for older vehicles that may not support higher ethanol blends, safeguards against warranty, insurance or service-related prejudice where no alternative fuel option exists, and constitution of an independent expert committee to examine the broader implications of the ethanol-blending programme.
According to the petition, the plea did not challenge the policy of ethanol blending or seek to halt the country’s move towards energy self-reliance. Instead, it argued that consumers were purchasing fuel without disclosure of its composition, authoritative compatibility information or a meaningful alternative, raising concerns over informed consumer choice.
Goswami, who owns a 2018 Honda BR-V petrol vehicle, stated that his vehicle was manufactured before E20 was notified as an automotive fuel and claimed that petrol pumps do not disclose the ethanol content of the fuel available for sale.
The petition referred to NITI Aayog’s “Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25”, released in June 2021, which envisaged a phased transition and continued availability of lower-ethanol fuel for older vehicles. It also cited the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ March 8, 2021 notification on E20 standards, the Bureau of Indian Standards’ 2022 specifications for E20 fuel, the rollout of E10-tuned and E20 material-compliant vehicles from April 1, 2023, and E20 engine-tuned vehicles from April 1, 2025. The plea stated that E20 petrol became widely available across the country in 2025.
The petition further referred to a representation submitted by Goswami to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on July 4 seeking measures on disclosure, compatibility and consumer choice, alleging that no satisfactory corrective action followed.
The proceedings came nearly a year after the Supreme Court dismissed a similar PIL on September 1, 2025. The Centre has maintained that E20 petrol improves acceleration and ride quality, reduces carbon emissions by about 30 per cent compared with E10 fuel, and supports energy security, higher farmer incomes and environmental sustainability.
