Karnataka E20 petrol row: 31.2% claim, OMCs seek joint tests

By Geeta · 07 Nov, 2026

Karnataka says tests found ethanol as high as 31.2% in some petrol samples; the Centre and OMCs cite compliant checks and seek joint testing before any action.

Karnataka E20 petrol row: 31.2% claim, OMCs seek joint tests

India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has rejected Karnataka’s allegation that some petrol samples contained ethanol above the E20 limit, saying the oil companies’ quality exercise found compliant levels in all 56 Karnataka samples. The dispute matters because the state’s tests reported up to 31.2% ethanol in one sample, while a confirmed deviation would affect fuel-quality oversight and vehicle-compatibility discussions.

Key takeaways

Karnataka reported ethanol readings above the 20% E20 limit in samples collected during its 2026 inspection exercise.
The state’s reported maximum was 31.2% in an Indian Oil sample; an HPCL sample was reported at 30.5%.
The Petroleum Ministry and IOCL, BPCL and HPCL say their prescribed-procedure checks found all 893 tested samples within the 19–21% range.
The next meaningful step is joint sampling and independent retesting, not a conclusion that every petrol outlet is selling over-blended fuel.

What Karnataka’s tests reported

The New Indian Express reported on 6 Nov 2026 that Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said the state had collected 63 petrol samples from seven districts, including Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru. Tests attributed to the Shriram Research Institute in Bengaluru reported 31.2% ethanol in an Indian Oil Corporation sample and 30.5% in an HPCL sample.

NDTV Profit also reported on 6 Nov 2026 that the state’s findings included readings above the prescribed 20% blend in samples from several fuel companies. Karnataka has asked for action against oil companies found to have supplied fuel above the limit, a mechanism to assess alleged vehicle damage and a nationwide requirement for petrol pumps to display the ethanol percentage. Those are demands from the state, not measures announced as being in force.

As NDTV Profit explained on 6 Nov 2026, E20 refers to a blend containing 20% ethanol and 80% petrol. A test result above that level would therefore be a fuel-quality issue if it is confirmed through the applicable procedure, but the state-reported readings remain disputed.

Why the Centre and OMCs dispute the result

In a release dated 7 Nov 2026, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said IOCL, BPCL and HPCL had challenged the sampling and testing process used in the state’s October 2026 exercise. The companies said the samples were not drawn with their representatives present and that they had not received the corresponding retention samples, complete outlet-level details or full laboratory reports needed for verification.

The official release describes a sampling protocol under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Control Order, 2005 and the Marketing Discipline Guidelines, 2024. It says six one-litre samples are to be drawn: two for the dealer, two retained by the oil company or department and two sent to a specified laboratory. The sample labels are also required to be jointly signed.

The companies further questioned the technical detail in the certificates cited by Karnataka. The Ministry said IS 17021:2018, with its August 2025 amendment, recognises prescribed methods including FTIR, water extraction and gas chromatography. Where gas chromatography is used, the release says the sample requires a 1:1 dilution with oxygenate-free petrol and correction against an E10 certified reference material. The certificates, according to the release, did not provide those details in a way that allowed independent validation.

What the OMC quality checks found

The same 7 Nov 2026 Ministry release said an OMC and Centre for High Technology Quality Coordination Cell exercise tested 893 E20 samples from depots and retail outlets across 27 states and Union territories. It said all 893 samples were within the prescribed 19–21% ethanol range.

For Karnataka, the release said all 56 samples from different locations and all three public-sector OMCs were within specification, recording 19–20% ethanol with an average of 19.30%. Autocar India reported the same figures on 7 Nov 2026. This is a separate monitoring exercise from the state’s reported samples, so it does not by itself resolve the disagreement over the October collection.

The two sides are therefore presenting different evidence: Karnataka says its laboratory results show over-blending at some outlets, while the Ministry and OMCs say their sampling and testing under the prescribed standard found compliance. Treating either set as a nationwide answer would go beyond what has been established.

What this means for motorists

For drivers, the immediate issue is the reliability and traceability of fuel testing, not a confirmed nationwide change in petrol composition. The current reports do not establish that every outlet in Karnataka—or outlets elsewhere in India—contains more than 20% ethanol.

Vehicle compatibility can vary by model, engine calibration and the manufacturer’s specifications. A motorist who is investigating a performance or fuel-system complaint should keep the purchase details and service records, and should distinguish a documented diagnosis from a general claim about E20. The state’s demand for compensation is still a proposal; no nationwide compensation process is announced in the Ministry’s response.

For the practical cost side, readers can check current rates on the live fuel-price page and estimate how a change in mileage would affect a regular journey with the fuel-cost calculator. The background on higher-ethanol vehicles and compatibility is covered in the E100 and flex-fuel vehicle checklist.

What to watch next

The OMCs have asked Karnataka to share the full sampling documentation, outlet-wise reports and test methodology, and to provide counterpart samples for independent testing at an authorised laboratory. The Ministry said the companies were willing to cooperate with joint sampling under the applicable order and guidelines.

A transparent retest that uses jointly witnessed collection, retained samples and the prescribed IS 17021 method would answer the central question: whether the reported high readings reflect over-blending, a testing-method issue or differences between samples. Until that process produces a verified result, the 31.2% figure should be described as a Karnataka-reported finding, not as proof of a nationwide fuel-quality failure.

Reader takeaway: the E20 dispute is active, but the evidence is not settled. Follow the outcome of joint verification and any official direction before treating the allegations as a change to the fuel supplied at all petrol pumps.