Supreme Court Declines PIL Seeking Mandatory Ethanol Content Disclosure at Fuel Pumps

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought a directive to the Centre and other authorities to ensure mandatory and uniform labelling on every dispensing nozzle at petrol pumps. The plea requested clear disclosure of the exact percentage of ethanol present in petrol.

A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale stated that it was not inclined to entertain the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, which grants the right to approach the Supreme Court directly. The bench directed the petitioner, Narendra Kumar Goswami, to approach the jurisdictional high court for relief.

Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General R Venkataramani submitted that the plea constituted proxy litigation, noting that a petition concerning a similar issue had previously been dismissed by the court. 'The petitioner wants Government of India to be answerable to him,' the Attorney General submitted during the proceedings.

Representing himself, Goswami argued that consumers possess a fundamental right to know the composition of the fuel purchased at retail outlets. 'Not only me, but citizens at large should be informed about the composition of the fuel given to them,' he submitted to the bench.

Beyond nozzle labelling, the petition sought directions ensuring that every fuel invoice specifically and legibly states the percentage of ethanol sold. The plea also requested the creation of an official, public, vehicle-wise compatibility database. This searchable database, categorized by manufacturer, model, engine type, and year of manufacture, would indicate the suitability of various ethanol blends for specific vehicles.

Additionally, the PIL called for the constitution of an independent expert committee. The proposed panel would include representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Bureau of Indian Standards, and independent automobile engineers. The petitioner urged that this committee examine and publish a public report on the real-world compatibility of E20 fuel across the existing vehicle fleet.

The plea outlined several areas for the committee's review, including the impact of ethanol blending on fuel efficiency, engine longevity, maintenance costs, warranty and insurance implications, and the net environmental footprint—such as tail-pipe emissions and water consumption linked to ethanol production. It also raised concerns regarding food security and feed diversion stemming from the ongoing fuel blending programme.

"Transparency in fuel composition is critical as the automotive and energy sectors transition toward higher ethanol blending mandates like E20. While the Supreme Court has directed the petitioner to approach the high court, businesses operating in the automotive, manufacturing, and energy sectors must proactively prepare for stricter consumer disclosures and compatibility standards. Clear communication regarding fuel efficiency and engine longevity will ultimately build greater trust among end-consumers." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes