The Office of the Attorney General for India (AGI) has issued an official clarification denying media reports claiming that the Union Government described its 20% Ethanol Blended Petrol (E20) Programme as an “ongoing experiment” during proceedings before the Supreme Court in the ethanol allocation dispute involving Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
The clarification was issued after certain reports published on June 30 stated that AG R Venkataramani had informed the Apex Court that the E20 programme was still an experiment and that its impact would become clear only next year. Rejecting these reports, the AG’s Office stated that the publications were completely incorrect and did not reflect the submissions made on behalf of the Union of India before the Court.
The clarification was related to proceedings arising out of a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by BPCL and other Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) challenging a Karnataka High Court order directing reconsideration of ethanol allocation for the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the submissions before the Supreme Court were confined to the pendency of multiple writ petitions before various High Courts involving identical issues concerning the allocation of ethanol to Dedicated Ethanol Plants.
The AG informed the Court that transfer petitions were being filed to seek the transfer of all such matters to the top court of the country so that common questions relating to the interpretation of law and contractual obligations arising from the same policy framework could be adjudicated together. It was submitted that such a course would prevent parallel proceedings, avoid conflicting judicial pronouncements and facilitate expeditious resolution of the disputes.
The Union government also submitted that an early and uniform adjudication was necessary to ensure uninterrupted ethanol supplies to OMCs so that the government’s national Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme targeting 20% ethanol blending with petrol throughout the year remained unaffected.
Taking note of these submissions, the Supreme Court directed that the proposed transfer petitions be filed and ordered maintenance of the status quo with regard to ethanol allocation for the current Ethanol Supply Year (2025-26), insofar as the present proceedings are concerned. The interim order was limited to preserving the existing position and did not involve any adjudication on the merits of the government’s ethanol blending policy.
The Attorney General’s Office categorically clarified that at no stage during the hearing was it submitted that either the EBP Programme or the E20 blending initiative was an experiment. It stated that any suggestion to the contrary was factually incorrect and did not represent the submissions made on behalf of the Union government before the Supreme Court.
The clarification further urged members of the media to report court proceedings with due accuracy, particularly in cases involving important national policy initiatives, to avoid dissemination of misleading information regarding judicial proceedings and government policy.
The post Centre clarifies AG never called E20 ethanol blending an experiment in Supreme Court appeared first on India Legal.