Court Backs E20 Petrol, Rejects Demand for Separate Ethanol-Free Fuel

A public interest litigation against the government’s E20 petrol blending mandate has been dismissed by the Supreme Court. The court’s decision, delivered by Justices B.R. Gavai and Vinod Chandran, supports the government’s ethanol blending program. The Attorney General noted benefits to sugarcane farmers, and the government position on consumer influence on fuel composition. E20 implementation is accelerating to reduce fuel imports and promote cleaner burning fuel. Maruti Suzuki may offer upgrade kits for older car models. The legal challenge requested the availability of pure petrol, particularly for older vehicles, and raised concerns regarding fuel efficiency and the availability of alternative fuel options.