AG Never Told Supreme Court E20 Fuel Programme Was an "Experiment"; Media Reports False: Attorney General's Office

The Office of Attorney General R. Venkataramani has issued an official clarification rejecting media reports that claimed the Central government described its 20% Ethanol Blended Petrol (E20) programme as an "ongoing experiment" before the Supreme Court. The clarification, released on June 30, stated that no such submission was ever made during the hearing.

The statement came after reports suggested that the Attorney General had informed the Court that the impact of the E20 policy would become clear only next year.

The clarification relates to proceedings before the Supreme Court in a petition filed by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL). The appeal challenges a Karnataka High Court order directing oil marketing companies to reconsider ethanol allocation for the Ethanol Supply Year (2025–26).

During the hearing, the Centre argued that similar disputes over ethanol allocation involving Dedicated Ethanol Plants are pending before several High Courts. The Attorney General informed the bench that transfer petitions would be filed so that all matters involving common legal issues could be heard together by the Supreme Court.

Responding to the reports, the Attorney General's office said the claims were inaccurate.

The clarification stated,

"At no stage was any submission made that the Government's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme or the E20 blending programme is an 'experiment'."

It further added that any suggestion that the Union of India had described the programme in those terms before the Supreme Court was "incorrect" and did not reflect the submissions made on behalf of the government.

The Attorney General also submitted that an early resolution of the litigation was necessary to ensure uninterrupted ethanol supplies to oil marketing companies and to avoid conflicting rulings from different High Courts.

After considering the submissions, the Supreme Court directed that status quo be maintained regarding ethanol allocation for the 2025–26 Ethanol Supply Year in the present matter while the proposed transfer petitions are pursued.

The Court's order was limited to maintaining the existing position and did not make any finding on the merits of the government's E20 policy.