Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad released laboratory test results on November 6, 2026, alleging that petrol sold at several retail outlets across seven districts contained ethanol concentrations reaching up to 31.2 percent, far above the statutory 20 percent limit.
The disclosures have ignited a sharp political clash between the southern state and the central government, with Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accusing New Delhi of a cover-up as motorists face frequent engine failures and reduced fuel efficiency.
Protecting consumers from exploitation and ensuring accountability are our foremost responsibilities. The Department of Legal Metrology, led by Minister Shri @ArshadRizwan has conducted extensive inspections across Karnataka under Mission Nikhara. Independent laboratory tests… pic.twitter.com/CVPRDEO650
State Tests Reveal High Ethanol Levels
Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru, Rizwan Arshad stated that the state Legal Metrology Department tested 63 petrol samples collected from districts including Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Ramanagara, Mangaluru, and Tumakuru. The state forwarded 14 samples to private NABL-accredited laboratories for testing.
The independent tests revealed that only two of the 14 samples stayed below the 20 percent threshold. An Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) sample recorded the highest concentration at 31.2 percent, while an HPCL sample reached 30.5 percent. Further analysis found that an HPCL sample contained 27 percent ethanol, a BPCL sample registered 26.5 percent, a Nayara Energy sample showed 26.1 percent, and a Shell sample measured 25.5 percent, alongside a minimum level of 13.5 percent detected in a separate Shell sample.
We have checked, and the mixing is happening at the petrol bunks. Where it is being distributed, mixing is happening there. We have all the documents,
DK Shivakumar said, alleging that cheaper ethanol was being blended into fuel purely for commercial gain.
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge also accused the central government of misleading the public, asserting that reports from laboratories accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) confirmed the violations.
Karnataka’s motorists are being cheated at the pump. Petrol samples from 7 districts show ethanol far above the 20% limit: 31.2% in IOCL fuel and 30.5% in HPCL fuel. These are Central PSUs, and this is the Modi government’s E20 policy. People pay full price, lose mileage and… pic.twitter.com/utffBFGEVU
Oil Firms Reject State Allegations
State-owned oil marketing companies—IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL—issued a statement rejecting the state’s allegations and defending the national E20 fuel rollout. The refiners stated that all petrol supplied across their nationwide networks conforms to IS 17021, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specification for ethanol-blended motor gasoline.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas backed the oil firms, stating that an independent quality monitoring exercise covering 893 samples across 27 States and Union Territories—including 56 samples in Karnataka—found every tested sample fully compliant within the 19 to 21 percent range.
The facts are clear, and the evidence speaks for itself! As part of the OMC/CHT QCC exercise, 893 E20 samples across 27 States & UTs (IOCL: 330, BPCL: 280, HPCL: 283) were tested under IS 17021. 100% compliance: Every single sample met the prescribed 19–21% ethanol range.… pic.twitter.com/c5O1h9dSAH
The legitimacy of the Karnataka administration’s survey was disputed by the oil firms, which pointed out that the third-party certificates omitted mandatory procedures prescribed by the Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) 2024 and the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005. Specifically, refiners noted that certificates lacked essential details about the method, dilution procedure and reference material.
Refiners also pointed to density discrepancies, noting that the state’s third-party samples recorded densities between 0.742 and 0.749 g/cc, whereas official checks on E20 fuel register between 0.752 and 0.760 g/cc. Because ethanol possesses a higher density than petrol, excess ethanol would raise rather than lower the overall blend density.
Government Demands Compensation Fund
The Karnataka government has demanded that the Union government establish a dedicated compensation fund for motorists, enforce mandatory disclosure of ethanol percentages at fuel dispensing stations, and offer consumers a choice of fuel blends. State officials argued that nearly 99 percent of India’s 35 crore vehicles are not built to handle ethanol blends exceeding 20 percent.
In response to the standoff, IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL have formally requested the Karnataka government to share complete sampling documentation, outlet-specific laboratory reports, and counterpart samples. The companies expressed willingness to participate in joint sampling and testing at an authorized laboratory using prescribed referee methods in the presence of both state and refiner representatives.
There's precision behind every blend! ⛽ From automated systems to stringent quality checks, ethanol blending follows a carefully controlled process to meet prescribed fuel standards before reaching consumers.#IndianOil #E20Petrol #FuelQuality #MythBuster@HardeepSPuri… pic.twitter.com/t7fBN7kv1F
Because it is available at a lower price, they are mixing it to make a profit. We condemn this. It is dangerous. People need to be made aware and protected,
DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Chief Minister