PIL filed before Supreme Court against 20 percent ethanol-blended petrol

A public interest litigation (PIL) petition has been filed before the Supreme Court against rollout of 20 percent Ethanol Blended Petrol (E20) without giving consumers the choice to opt for ethanol free fuel.

The petition has been filed by advocate Akshay Malhotra.

According to the petition, vehicles manufactured in India prior to April 2023 are not compatible with ethanol mix petrol and vehicles as recent as 2 years old, though BS-VI compliant, are also not compatible with ethanol mixed petrol wherein the percentage of ethanol is twenty percent.

According to automobile manufacturers and reports of research bodies, ethanol blending causes corrosion of engine parts, lowers fuel efficiency and leads to and premature wear and tear of vehicles, the plea has alleged.

Any such damage will not be covered by insurance leaving consumers without remedy, it has been contended.

“As the vehicles are not compatible with ethanol blended petrol which will result in damage to the said vehicles, the claim raised in this regard will not be covered by the manufacturers or the insurance companies as the consumers have violated the terms specified,” the plea states.

The petition has highlighted that in the United States of American, ethanol blended petrol to the extent of 10 percent is standard but ethanol-free petrol is also available and in the European Union, blends of 5 percent and 10 percent co-exist with clear labelling.

“In India, without informing the consumers, only ethanol blended petrol is made available to the public without any labelling or display of composition of the fuel,” the plea has alleged.

The petitioner has sought directions to ensure the availability of ethanol-free petrol at all fuel stations, mandatory labelling of ethanol content, enforcement of the Consumer Protection Act and a nationwide impact study on vehicle degradation due to E20 usage.