Supreme Court rejects plea for ethanol disclosure in petrol

The Supreme Court on Monday, August 31, 2026, refused to entertain a public interest litigation seeking mandatory disclosure of ethanol content in petrol and greater transparency regarding the compatibility of ethanol-blended fuel with vehicles. A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale directed the petitioner, advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami, to approach the jurisdictional High Court with his demands. The petition sought directions to the Centre and other authorities to ensure the exact percentage of ethanol blended into petrol is prominently displayed on every dispensing nozzle at petrol pumps. It also requested that every fuel invoice clearly state the ethanol percentage. Furthermore, the plea demanded the creation and publication of an official, public, vehicle-wise compatibility database searchable by manufacturer, model, engine type, and year of manufacture to indicate the suitability of various ethanol blends for each vehicle. Goswami, appearing in person, argued that he was not challenging the government's ethanol-blending policy but was asserting a fundamental consumer right to know the composition of the fuel being purchased. "I am not challenging the policy.