The BRICS TimesThe apex court dismissed a petition challenging the Centre’s ethanol-blended petrol policy, noting that the decision was framed after due consideration of all factors.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition questioning the Centre’s policy of blending ethanol with petrol and demanding that consumers be allowed to purchase ethanol-free fuel for vehicles that are incompatible.
The bench of Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran rejected the plea after the government defended the policy, stating it was introduced after assessing all relevant concerns.
Advocate Akshay Malhotra, in his petition, argued that most vehicles manufactured before April 2023, along with several BS-VI compliant models from the last two years, cannot run on blended petrol, and denying an alternative infringes upon citizens’ fundamental rights.
Senior Advocate Shadan Farasat, representing the petitioner, clarified that the challenge was not against ethanol blending itself but against the lack of consumer choice. He highlighted that only E20 fuel is available now, without prior notification, and that many older vehicles are being damaged as they are not E20-compatible. He also cited a 2021 NITI Aayog report and raised concerns about a 6% reduction in fuel efficiency.
In response, Attorney General R. Venkataramani opposed the petition, suggesting it was influenced by vested interests. He emphasized that the policy benefits Indian sugarcane farmers and questioned whether foreign interests should dictate India’s fuel policy.
Following the Centre’s arguments, the court dismissed the petition.
