The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation that challenged the government’s E20 policy, which seeks to blend all petrol sold in the country with 20 per cent ethanol by 2025-26.

A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran struck down the plea after Attorney General R Venkataramani told the court the petitioner, who had asked for ethanol-free petrol for pre-2023 vehicles, "is an Englander, i.e., someone from outside who will dictate what petrol to use".

At the hearing, senior advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the petitioner, referred to a 2021 NITI Aayog report that expressed concern about a six per cent reduction in fuel efficiency for older vehicles, specifically those manufactured before 2023, running on the blended petrol.

"We have to be given an option... we are not against E20, but at least let suppliers inform us that some vehicles are not compliant with the same. Only vehicles post-April 2023 can tolerate E20."

The petitioner acknowledged that E20 is a "logical progression as far as fuel is concerned" and said he was not opposing the higher blend, but only raising the issue of "non-availability of E10 petrol".

Venkataramani countered by calling the petitioner a ‘name-holder’ for a ‘huge lobby’ with vested interests, and stressed that the E20 policy would benefit sugarcane farmers and save foreign exchange.

"Will people outside the country dictate what kind of fuel India should use?"

The government’s E20 plan has been opposed by some car owners and automobile enthusiasts, who believe the blend could affect engine performance, reduce mileage, increase mechanical issues, and shorten the overall lifespan and reliability of cars.

Earlier this month, the government said the move would not only reduce pollution and cut oil imports, but also improve acceleration and even ride quality.

"A study on life cycle emissions of Ethanol done by NITI Aayog has said that GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions in the case of use of sugarcane and maize-based ethanol are less by 65% and 50%, respectively, than those of petrol," the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said.

Stressing that the rural economy has seen major benefits from ethanol production, the ministry also said rising farmer incomes have helped reduce farmer suicides.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari also said ethanol blending had already lowered vehicular pollution. "The aim is to curb the carbon footprint (of vehicular traffic in India) and reduce fossil fuel use," he said at an NDTV green energy summit.

Ethanol blending averaged 12.06 per cent in 2022-23 and rose to 14.6 per cent the following year. By February this year, it had reached 19.6 per cent, and the 20 per cent target was achieved soon after.