Supreme Court Dismisses Plea Seeking Mandatory Ethanol Content Disclosure at Fuel Pumps

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a petition that sought mandatory disclosure of the ethanol content in petrol sold at fuel stations across the country. A Bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale heard the plea, which alleged an element of “silent compulsion” in the rollout of E20 petrol.

The petition was filed by advocate and petitioner-in-person Narendra Kumar Goswami. He contended that consumers are entitled to know the composition, quality, standards, and compatibility implications of the fuel they purchase, arguing that such disclosure is a constitutional requirement when the State creates a nationwide compulsory market.

The Bench, however, declined to entertain the plea, observing that the petitioner could approach the competent authority with his grievance instead of moving the top court directly. “Dismissed… It will remain open for the petitioner to approach the competent authority,” the Bench stated in its brief order. During the proceedings, the Bench also questioned the petitioner's locus standi and asked why he had bypassed the jurisdictional High Court.

Defending his position, Goswami maintained that consumers have a fundamental right to know what they are purchasing, drawing a parallel to packaged food items where ingredients are clearly listed. However, Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Union Government, strongly opposed the petition. He described the filing as “proxy litigation” and noted that the Supreme Court had previously rejected challenges directed at the government’s ethanol-blending policy.

Goswami clarified during the hearing that he was not challenging the government's E20 policy itself, but was strictly seeking transparency regarding ethanol content so consumers could make informed choices. In September of the previous year, the Supreme Court had dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Akshay Malhotra that directly challenged mandatory ethanol blending and sought the continued availability of ethanol-free petrol for older, incompatible vehicles.

At that time, the Centre defended the policy by highlighting its broader energy security and environmental objectives, including cutting down crude oil imports and curbing vehicular emissions. The government also maintained that the programme benefits sugarcane farmers.

The Union Government amended the National Policy on Biofuels in 2022 to accelerate the phased blending of ethanol with petrol. The roadmap targeted blending levels of 12.06 per cent in 2022–23, 14.6 per cent in 2023–24, and 17.98 per cent in 2024–25 (up to February 2025), ahead of reaching the 20 per cent milestone. The government has since achieved the 20 per cent blending target. While the programme has faced criticism from some quarters regarding its impact on older vehicles and fuel efficiency, the Centre has maintained there is no evidence that ethanol-blended petrol causes mechanical damage to vehicles.

"The Supreme Court's decision to dismiss the petition highlights the judicial boundary between policy implementation and direct consumer grievances, directing matters of regulatory compliance to appropriate administrative authorities. For businesses, automotive sectors, and energy stakeholders, this reinforces the stability of the ongoing E20 ethanol-blending roadmap. While consumer transparency remains a valid discussion point, the ruling ensures that nationwide energy and environmental transition policies move forward without judicial interruption at this stage." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes