The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea seeking mandatory disclosure of the exact ethanol content in petrol sold at fuel stations across India, but allowed the petitioner to approach the competent authority.
The case was not about stopping ethanol blending. It was about whether motorists should be told exactly what is in the petrol they are buying.
A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale heard the petition filed by advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami.
What was sought
Goswami asked the Centre to make disclosure of ethanol content in petrol mandatory and uniform across petrol pumps, according to reports on the hearing.
The plea also sought details of ethanol content on fuel invoices or receipts. The underlying argument was that consumers should know the composition of the petrol before purchasing it.
Goswami clarified during the hearing that he was not challenging the government's ethanol blending policy.
His concern, instead, was whether consumers should receive information about the ethanol content of the fuel they purchase.
He argued that consumers have a right to know the composition of petrol, drawing a comparison with ingredient disclosures on packaged food products, according to Bar and Bench.
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Court's questions
The bench questioned why Goswami had approached the Supreme Court directly instead of first moving the High Court.
The court also raised questions about his locus and asked about his professional practice, while suggesting that he approach the High Court.
The Supreme Court ultimately declined to entertain the petition and disposed of the matter, giving Goswami liberty to approach the competent authority.
Centre opposes
Attorney General R Venkataramani appeared for the Central government and opposed the plea.
The Attorney General referred to earlier Supreme Court proceedings in which challenges to the government's ethanol blending policy had been dismissed.
Goswami maintained that his petition was different because it did not seek to invalidate or stop the ethanol blending programme.
Instead, he sought greater transparency over the fuel being sold to consumers.
The ruling comes amid continuing debate over ethanol-blended petrol and whether motorists should receive greater information and choice at fuel stations.
For now, the Supreme Court has not imposed a requirement for petrol pumps to disclose the exact ethanol content of fuel. The issue has instead been left open for the petitioner to pursue before the competent authority.
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