Overview

• A PIL filed by advocate Akshay Malhotra is listed before a bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, with a hearing set for Monday, Sept. 1.
• The plea seeks mandated availability of ethanol‑free petrol at fuel stations, clear ethanol‑content labels at pumps, and a nationwide study on E20’s effects on non‑compliant vehicles.
• Auto industry body SIAM and testing agency ARAI say controlled studies show a 2–4% mileage drop with E20 and report no documented vehicle breakdowns, while assuring warranties and insurance will be honoured.
• ARAI cites studies from 2016 and 2021 submitted to authorities but not publicly released due to OEM confidentiality, and acknowledges there is no formal mechanism to log consumer complaints.
• Many motorists report larger real‑world efficiency losses and turn to scarce, expensive E0 options such as XP100 and poWer100, even as industry highlights forex savings, lower oil imports, and payments to farmers from ethanol procurement.