State-run oil marketing companies on Friday rejected Karnataka's claim that petrol sold at some retail outlets in the state contained up to 31 per cent ethanol, saying the findings were not based on testing carried out under prescribed procedures.
The Karnataka government had alleged that major oil marketing companies were supplying petrol with ethanol content above the prescribed 20 per cent limit, with tests recording levels as high as 31.2 per cent, and sought action against the companies. Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said the allegations were based on tests on samples collected from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.
In a joint statement, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) said the claims were “not supported by testing conducted in accordance with the prescribed statutory and technical procedures”, and that their E20 petrol conformed to IS 17021, the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for ethanol-blended motor gasoline.
The companies raised concerns about the sampling procedure used in the October 2026 exercise, saying it was conducted without the participation of OMC representatives, and that they had not received the retention samples, outlet-wise details or laboratory reports despite seeking them through the State Level Coordinator.
The OMCs said the reported findings relied on certificates from a third-party laboratory rather than one specified under the Control Order, and that the certificates did not carry the technical details needed to independently verify the reported ethanol content.
(With inputs from PTI)
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