Congress Alleges High Ethanol Levels in Petrol, Centre Rejects Claims

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has claimed that petrol sold across the country contains more than the permitted 20% ethanol limit, citing a report from the Karnataka government.

Karnataka Report Findings

The Karnataka government's Department of Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology collected petrol samples from seven districts and tested them at an accredited lab. Mr. Gandhi stated that 11 out of 14 samples contained more than 20% ethanol, with levels reaching 31.2% at Indian Oil Corporation Limited pumps and 30.5% at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited outlets. He noted that public and private companies including Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Nayara, and Shell exceeded the limit, while company labs failed to report the ethanol content.

Centre's Response

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas rejected the allegations and questioned the sampling method used during the October 2026 exercise. The Ministry stated that public sector oil marketing companies supply E20 petrol conforming to Bureau of Indian Standards specifications. Officials noted that the sampling did not follow the required procedures outlined in the Motor Spirit Order and Marketing Discipline Guidelines, which mandate drawing six one-litre samples and distributing them to dealers, companies, and designated laboratories.

Context

Ethanol blending in petrol is part of a national push to reduce carbon emissions and cut crude oil import bills. Petrol pumps across India currently supply E20 fuel, which is designed to contain up to 20% ethanol mixed with gasoline.