Government Denies Calling India's E20 Petrol Rollout an 'Experiment' in Supreme Court

The Indian government has pushed back strongly against reports suggesting its flagship ethanol-blended petrol programme is merely a trial run. The clarification came after certain media outlets claimed that Attorney General R Venkataramani told the Supreme Court that the E20 programme was still an ongoing experiment and that its real impact would only be clear next year.

The Office of the Attorney General called these reports completely false, stating they did not reflect what was actually submitted in court. According to the clarification, the Attorney General had instead spoken about a different matter entirely: multiple court cases across various high courts dealing with how ethanol is allocated to dedicated ethanol production plants. He informed the Supreme Court that transfer petitions were being filed to consolidate these similar cases into one court, avoiding contradictory rulings and delays.

This consolidation, the government explained, is meant to ensure that ethanol supplies to oil marketing companies continue smoothly, keeping the 20% blending target steady throughout the year under what is officially called the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme.

Alongside this, the government also had to counter a separate rumour spreading on social media. Posts claimed that petrol pumps nationwide had put up warning boards cautioning customers about using E20 petrol. The government's fact-checking unit dismissed this as fake news, stating no such hoardings exist at retail fuel outlets and that no widespread incidents of engine damage linked to ethanol blending have been reported since E20's rollout.

The controversy around blended petrol has been simmering for a while. Some vehicle owners, particularly those who bought cars before 2023, allege that ethanol-blended fuel is corroding engine parts not designed for it. These older vehicles are not classified as flex-fuel vehicles, which are specifically engineered to handle higher ethanol content safely.

Adding to public confusion, the Centre has removed excise duty on several higher ethanol blends beyond E20, including E22, E27, and E30, even though only E20 is currently sold at pumps. Many vehicle owners have complained online that any savings from cheaper blended fuel do not make up for the drop in mileage they experience, with some even sharing videos claiming to remove ethanol from their fuel.

The government maintains that removing duty on these future blends is simply preparatory groundwork, not a signal that they are about to be launched. It insists any rollout of higher blends will happen only after thorough testing and stakeholder consultations. It also stressed that current E20 petrol meets official quality standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, and that ethanol mixes completely with petrol without separating into layers when it meets these specifications.

With litigation still pending in courts and public scepticism growing on social media, the government's twin clarifications aim to reassure both consumers and industry that the ethanol blending programme remains a serious, long-term national policy rather than a temporary test.