The Centre has rejected allegations that petrol outlets in Karnataka were supplying fuel with ethanol content above the prescribed 20 per cent limit, saying oil marketing companies have confirmed that their E20 supplies meet the required quality standards.
In a statement issued on Saturday, November 7, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said it had taken note of the claims and sought clarification from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).
The three companies maintained that the allegations were not supported by tests conducted through the prescribed statutory and technical procedures.
“E20 petrol supplied by the three OMCs across the country, including Karnataka, conforms to IS 17021, the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for ethanol-blended motor gasoline. They have also raised concerns regarding the sampling procedure and testing methodology adopted for the October 2026 exercise", the statement read.
Centre questions sampling and testing procedure
The Ministry explained that petrol quality testing requires six one-litre samples to be collected. Two samples must be handed over to the dealer against acknowledgement, two retained by the oil company or concerned department, and the remaining two sent to a laboratory specified under Schedule III of the Control Order or notified in the Official Gazette.
The samples must carry labels jointly signed by the officials concerned, while test results have to be shared with both the dealer and the oil company within the prescribed timeframe.
“While samples drawn during the September 2026 exercise were routed through the State Level Coordinator to designated OMC laboratories and tested for the quality parameters requested under the MDG 2024, the subsequent exercise in October reportedly involved samples drawn without the participation of OMC representatives. The OMCs have also not received the corresponding retention samples, complete outlet-wise details or laboratory reports, despite seeking these through the State Level Coordinator", it said.
What did Rahul Gandhi allege?
The Centre's clarification followed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegation that petrol outlets in Karnataka were dispensing fuel containing more than 20 per cent ethanol.
Citing laboratory tests of 14 samples collected across seven districts, Gandhi claimed that 11 exceeded the prescribed limit. He cited alleged ethanol levels of 31.2 per cent in an IOCL sample and 30.5 per cent in an HPCL sample.
“Your car wasn’t built to handle that much ethanol – meaning, lower mileage, repeated trips to the mechanic. A car you bought with such enthusiasm is being ruined", he wrote.
He also questioned the absence of clear labelling at petrol pumps and asked the government to disclose the actual ethanol content in fuel.
The E20 policy, which came into effect in April 2025, has triggered debate over vehicle compatibility and fuel efficiency, with motorists, automobile manufacturers and opposition leaders raising concerns.