June 29: The Government of India has dismissed reports claiming it described the 20% Ethanol Blended Petrol (E20) programme as an “experiment” during a recent hearing in the Supreme Court, stating that such interpretations are inaccurate and misrepresent the submissions made by the Attorney General.
The clarification came after several media reports suggested that the Centre had referred to the E20 initiative as an ongoing experiment while defending a case related to ethanol allocation. The Attorney General’s Office categorically denied making any such statement, asserting that the government’s submissions were incorrectly portrayed and did not question the validity or maturity of the national ethanol blending programme.
According to the government, the Supreme Court hearing primarily concerned multiple legal disputes over ethanol allocation for the 2025-26 ethanol supply year. The Centre informed the court that similar petitions are currently pending before various High Courts and intends to file transfer petitions so that all related matters can be heard together by the Supreme Court, ensuring consistency in judicial decisions and avoiding conflicting orders.
The government emphasised that a coordinated legal process is essential to ensure the uninterrupted supply of ethanol to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and support the country’s ethanol blending targets under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme. The Supreme Court has directed that the current status of ethanol allocation for the 2025-26 supply year be maintained until further proceedings.
The case stems from a Karnataka High Court order directing oil marketing companies, including BPCL, Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, to consider revised ethanol allocation requests from distilleries before finalising procurement for the upcoming supply year. BPCL argued that modifying allocations after contracts are awarded could disrupt the nationwide ethanol blending programme.
Reaffirming its commitment to the initiative, the government highlighted that India achieved its target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol in 2025, five years ahead of schedule. The Centre has now set a more ambitious goal of achieving 30% ethanol blending by 2030 as part of its long-term clean energy and energy security strategy.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas also reiterated that ethanol blending is a globally accepted practice that helps reduce crude oil imports, lowers carbon emissions, strengthens energy security and saves foreign exchange. It further dismissed concerns that E20 fuel damages vehicles or affects insurance coverage, maintaining that the programme continues to be implemented in a safe and consumer-friendly manner.
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