Minister Razvan Arshad asserts stance in petrol blending dispute, demands independent testing

Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Razvan Arshad, clarified on Monday that he stands firm on the test reports released on 6 November regarding the ethanol blending in petrol. Speaking to the media, the Minister stated that these tests were conducted in laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), an arm of the Quality Council of India (QCI), following prescribed procedures.

The Minister also expressed displeasure at the stance of the Central Government. He said that as an elected government, he expected an official response from the Centre, but instead, the Central Government has forced the oil companies to respond. After observing the statements released by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), he noted that while these companies' statements focus more on technicalities, they have failed to answer how much ethanol is present in the petrol available at our petrol pumps.

It is noteworthy that on 6 November, the Minister had released test reports of 63 petrol samples collected from various petrol pumps across Karnataka. Out of these 63 samples, the ethanol blending content in samples from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) was found to be more than 20%. Specifically, 31.2% ethanol was observed in IOCL, 30.5% in HPCL, and 24.2% in BPCL.

The oil companies had protested these allegations, claiming that the samples were not tested according to the prescribed procedure and that the laboratories used for testing were not specified under the order. In response, criticizing the companies, the Minister said that the initial 63 samples were first sent to the respective laboratories of IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL for testing. However, not a single one of their test reports showed the percentage of ethanol. The companies themselves cite the IS 17021:2018 standard, which sets a clear procedure for testing ethanol content, yet not a single company's report provided this figure. The Minister added that the companies' laboratories failed to provide the necessary results, which raised suspicions. To protect consumers, these samples were subsequently sent to NABL-accredited and ISO-certified laboratories.

Referring to questions raised by vehicle manufacturers, the Minister stated that on 28 July, 2026, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had written to the Union Ministry of Petroleum warning about the presence of chloride and sulphur in E20 fuel and the resulting damage to vehicle parts. However, under pressure from the Centre, this letter was withdrawn within a week. ACKO Insurance had informed consumers that engine damage caused by 'use of incorrect fuel' would not be covered under insurance. Hyundai, Toyota, and other automobile manufacturers have also stated in their manuals that using fuel other than E10 could void the warranty.

The Minister further stated that the report by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) on this subject has also been withheld from the public. He also noted that the Attorney General had informed the Supreme Court that E20 is still an experiment, though he later provided clarification. The Minister emphatically stated that the Karnataka government will not remain silent and will not back down under pressure like industry bodies or companies.

The Minister also expressed disagreement with the call made by the Central Government for a joint investigation into E20 blending. He said that when he was writing to the Central Government for investigation and testing, there was no response, but now that the test reports have come out, a joint investigation is being demanded. The Minister questioned what the point of an investigation is after the system has already been compromised. Regarding the oil companies' statement that the problem is limited to samples from certain petrol pumps, the Minister said that the companies themselves admit that ethanol blending is a controlled and automated process carried out at refineries and depots.

Razvan Arshad was serving as the Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs in Karnataka.