Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Saturday questioned the Union Government over allegations that petrol sold across Karnataka contains ethanol beyond the prescribed 20 per cent limit, demanding action against oil marketing companies (OMCs) if the reported violations are established.
In a post on X, the Congress leader cited laboratory tests of petrol samples collected by the Karnataka government from seven districts, claiming that 11 of the 14 samples tested contained more than 20 per cent ethanol.
“E20 turns into '420' — petrol theft from the public's vehicles!” Gandhi said, referring to Section 420 of the erstwhile Indian Penal Code, which dealt with cheating.
He said samples from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) recorded ethanol content of 31.2 per cent and 30.5 per cent, respectively. He alleged that samples from both public and private fuel companies, including IOCL, HPCL, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Nayara and Shell, exceeded the prescribed limit.
Gandhi also alleged that the companies' internal laboratories had not reported the ethanol content found in the samples.
Raising concerns over the impact on consumers, he claimed that excessive ethanol blending could reduce vehicle mileage and increase maintenance costs. He also questioned the absence of information at fuel stations about the actual ethanol content in petrol, saying consumers were not being given a choice.
“Modi ji, tell us — what exactly is being poured into the nation's fuel tanks? How much ethanol is truly in the petrol? When will action be taken against the companies that are adulterating fuel beyond the 20 per cent limit?” he asked.
Gandhi also reiterated his challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an open debate, saying the issue of ethanol blending should be included among the subjects for discussion.
The Congress leader's remarks came after the Karnataka government alleged that petrol sold at certain retail outlets in the state contained between 26 per cent and 31 per cent ethanol, exceeding the prescribed E20 blend.
Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said the allegations were based on samples collected from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.
According to test results issued by the Shriram Research Institute in Bengaluru, an institution accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories and certified under ISO standards, samples from IOCL and HPCL recorded ethanol content of 31.2 per cent and 30.5 per cent, respectively.
The Karnataka government had sought action against the companies over the reported findings. State Minister G Parameshwara also questioned who was protecting consumers, raising concerns over vehicle safety, fuel efficiency and consumer rights. He called for an immediate probe and sought explanations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
However, the three public sector oil marketing companies — IOCL, BPCL and HPCL — have disputed the Karnataka government's findings, maintaining that the E20 petrol supplied across their retail networks, including in Karnataka, conforms to the Bureau of Indian Standards' IS 17021 specifications.
The standard prescribes an ethanol content of 19-21 per cent in ethanol-blended motor gasoline.
In a joint statement, the companies said the reported findings were not supported by tests conducted in accordance with the prescribed statutory and technical procedures. They also raised concerns over the sampling methodology adopted during the October 2026 exercise and questioned the use of third-party laboratory certificates that, according to them, did not provide sufficient details of the testing methodology for independent verification.
Citing the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005, issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, along with the Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) 2024, the companies said the regulations specify procedures for sampling, retention, testing and communication of results.
Under the prescribed procedure, six one-litre samples are required to be drawn. Two samples must be handed over to the dealer against acknowledgement, two retained by the oil company or the 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 companies also said sample labels must be jointly signed and test results must be communicated to the dealer and the oil company within the prescribed timeframe.
They have asked the Karnataka government to share the complete sampling documentation, outlet-wise laboratory reports and details of the testing methodology. They have also sought access to counterpart samples for independent testing at an authorised laboratory using the prescribed referee method, in the presence of representatives of the state government and the OMCs.
The companies maintained that E20 petrol supplied by them conforms to the applicable BIS specifications and said independent testing would help address the concerns raised over the reported ethanol levels.
India's ethanol-blending programme, which began with a pilot initiative in 2001, aims to reduce dependence on imported crude oil, strengthen domestic agricultural value chains and improve the country's energy security.
The programme was expanded through successive policy interventions, including the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, and the NITI Aayog roadmap for ethanol blending.
According to Petroleum Ministry data cited by the OMCs, the programme since the 2014-15 ethanol supply year has generated foreign exchange savings of more than Rs 1.97 lakh crore, substituted approximately 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, reduced carbon dioxide emissions by around 952 lakh metric tonnes and resulted in payments of more than Rs 1.66 lakh crore to farmers.
During the 2025-26 ethanol supply year, which ended on October 31, 2026, the three public sector OMCs procured 1,089 crore litres of ethanol and blended 1,134 crore litres against petrol sales of approximately 5,673 crore litres.