The Karnataka government has formally demanded that all fuel stations across the country be mandated to display the ethanol blending percentage in petrol, after laboratory tests allegedly found ethanol content far exceeding the permissible 20 per cent limit in samples collected from multiple outlets across the state. The push comes under 'Mission Nikhara', the state's drive to ensure fuel quality and accurate measurement at every pump.

What the Lab Reports Found

Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday, 6 November 2026, Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said tests conducted by NABL-accredited and ISO-certified laboratories had returned alarming numbers. Samples from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) petrol reportedly contained 31.2 per cent ethanol, HPCL's MS-Power recorded 30.5 per cent, HPCL petrol showed 27 per cent, BPCL's MS-Speed 26.5 per cent, Nayara petrol 26.1 per cent, and Shell petrol 25.5 per cent — all well above the current regulatory ceiling.

Samples were drawn from outlets in Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru, following inspections ordered by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar through the Legal Metrology Department.

Transparency Concerns Over OMC Testing

Arshad said the samples were initially sent to the in-house laboratories of IOCL and BPCL, but those reports did not disclose ethanol content — despite it being a prescribed testing parameter under regulations. The minister questioned the transparency of oil marketing companies (OMCs) and asserted that consumers had a fundamental right to know the composition of the fuel they purchase.

He also demanded that the Union Ministers for Road Transport and Highways and Petroleum and Natural Gas publicly clarify the actual ethanol blend being supplied to consumers across India.

Vehicle Damage and Consumer Cost Estimates

Arshad warned that ethanol blends above E20 could reduce mileage and damage critical vehicle components, including filters, fuel pumps, injectors, hoses and seals. He claimed that an estimated 99 per cent of India's approximately 35 crore vehicles were not engineered for blends above E20, and that even vehicles sold after April 2023 were certified only for E20 compatibility.

Based on annual fuel consumption of 6,200 crore litres and a petrol price of ₹100 per litre, the minister estimated that a 10 per cent mileage loss alone could impose an additional burden of ₹62,000 crore on consumers annually. Vehicle repairs arising from component damage could add another ₹39,000 crore, pushing the total estimated consumer burden to approximately ₹1.01 lakh crore per year.

Demands: Compensation, Action and Disclosure

The Karnataka government has sought action against OMCs supplying petrol with ethanol content above 20 per cent and called for a time-bound compensation mechanism for consumers whose vehicles have suffered damage, with damage certified by authorised service centres. Arshad also pointed to the combined profits of ₹77,821 crore reported by IOCL, BPCL and HPCL in 2025–26, arguing that the Centre's claim that ethanol blending helps save foreign exchange had not translated into any tangible benefit for ordinary consumers.

Under Mission Nikhara, the state intends to continue inspections and testing across Karnataka, using powers available under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply and Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005, to act against irregularities and enforce quality and quantity standards at every fuel outlet.

The Centre has not yet issued a formal response to Karnataka's demands; how the Union government and OMCs respond to both the data and the compensation demand will determine whether this escalates into a national regulatory reckoning for India's ethanol blending programme.