SC Refuses to Entertain Plea Seeking Ethanol Content Disclosure at Fuel Pumps

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition seeking mandatory disclosure of ethanol content in petrol sold at fuel pumps. The petitioner, advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami, argued that consumers have a constitutional right to know the composition and quality of the fuel they purchase, especially as the government has rolled out E20 petrol nationwide.

A Bench of Justices M. M. Sundresh and Prasanna B. Varale questioned the petitioner's locus standi and asked why he had approached the apex court directly instead of moving the High Court. "Who are you? You are practising where? Go to High Court and file it," the Bench remarked.

Mr. Goswami responded that the plea was not for personal benefit but for the rights of all citizens. "We have right to know what we are purchasing," he submitted. He clarified that he was not challenging the E20 policy itself but only seeking disclosure of ethanol content, comparing it to the ingredient list on a biscuit packet.

Attorney General R. Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, termed the plea "proxy litigation" and noted that the Supreme Court had already dismissed a similar challenge to the ethanol-blending policy in September last year. The earlier Bench, headed by then Chief Justice B. R. Gavai, had rejected the plea after the Centre argued that the policy was formulated after considering all relevant aspects.

The petition also sought the constitution of an independent expert committee to examine real-world E20 compatibility and the publication of a vehicle-wise compatibility database. The Bench, however, dismissed the petition while granting liberty to the petitioner to approach the competent authority or the concerned High Court.