Chandigarh | Updated: August 4, 2026
The Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday passed a resolution urging the Union Government to suspend the compulsory nationwide rollout of E20 petrol for vehicles not originally designed or certified to run on the higher ethanol blend.
E20 petrol contains 20 per cent ethanol blended with petrol.
The Assembly said the rollout should be suspended until concerns related to vehicle compatibility, consumer protection, scientific evaluation and state-specific impact are fully addressed.
The House also demanded that consumers be given a choice between ethanol-free petrol and E20 petrol.
The resolution said owners of vehicles not originally designed for E20 should not be forced, directly or indirectly, to use the fuel until their vehicles are clearly certified as compatible.
The Assembly also urged the Centre to ensure that the retail price of E20 petrol reflects its lower calorific value and reduced fuel efficiency.
It said consumers should not be made to pay the same price for fuel that may deliver lower mileage.
The House also recommended setting up an independent committee to examine the impact of E20 petrol.
The proposed committee would include automobile engineers, petroleum experts, environmental scientists, consumer organisations and representatives of state governments.
The committee would assess the impact of E20 on vehicle compatibility, fuel efficiency, maintenance costs, consumer finances, environmental concerns and state-specific issues.
Speaking on the issue, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said a citizen awareness group, Local Circle, had studied the effect of E20 fuel on 45,000 vehicles.
He claimed the study found that E20 fuel affected mileage and caused damage to vehicles.
Mann questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was continuing with the rollout despite such concerns.
He alleged that the decision was being pursued under pressure from the US Government as part of a $100 billion Indo-US trade deal.
The Chief Minister claimed that under the deal, India would have to purchase 5 billion litres of ethanol.
Mann alleged that the policy was being pushed without considering its impact on common people.
The resolution has once again brought the E20 petrol issue into political focus, with the Punjab Assembly demanding consumer choice, transparent pricing and an independent scientific review before mandatory implementation.
