SC Declines PIL Seeking Mandatory Disclosure Of Ethanol Content In Petrol

NEW DELHI, Aug 31: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL seeking mandatory and uniform disclosure of the exact ethanol content in petrol at fuel pumps, saying the petitioner could approach the jurisdictional high court for relief.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale said it was not inclined to entertain the plea under Article 32, which provides the right to approach the Supreme Court directly for enforcement of fundamental rights.

The bench directed petitioner Narendra Kumar Goswami, who appeared in person, to raise his contentions before the concerned High Court.

Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, opposed the plea and submitted that it amounted to proxy litigation, pointing out that a similar petition had earlier been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

“The petitioner wants Government of India to be answerable to him,” the Attorney General submitted.

Goswami, however, argued that consumers have a right to know the composition of the petrol being sold to them.

“Not only me but citizens at large should be informed about the composition of the fuel given to them,” he submitted.

The PIL sought directions to the Centre and other authorities to ensure that every dispensing nozzle at petrol pumps carries clear and uniform labelling specifying the percentage of ethanol blended in petrol.

It also sought a direction that fuel invoices should specifically and legibly mention the ethanol content of the petrol sold.

The petitioner further sought creation of an official, publicly accessible, vehicle-wise compatibility database covering manufacturers, models, engine types and years of manufacture, indicating the suitability of different ethanol blends for individual vehicles.

The plea also sought constitution of an independent expert committee comprising representatives of the ministries of petroleum and natural gas, road transport and highways, the Bureau of Indian Standards and independent automobile engineers.

The proposed committee was asked to assess the real-world compatibility of E20 fuel with existing vehicles and examine its impact on fuel efficiency, engine longevity, maintenance costs, warranties and insurance.

It was also asked to assess environmental concerns, including tail-pipe emissions and water consumption linked to ethanol production, along with food-security and feed-diversion issues arising from the blending programme. (Agencies)