Anoop Jacob, the Keralam minister for food and civil supplies, stated on Monday that random checks are now underway at petrol stations in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kozhikode and Kannur. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, these inspections aim to verify whether fuel contains more ethanol than allowed, a concern that emerged after similar issues were identified in neighboring Karnataka. Jacob explained that the government ordered the tests to address public worries about vehicle damage and excessive blending.
The Hindu BusinessLine reported that samples gathered from these four districts will be analyzed at a state laboratory, with results expected within ten days. Jacob noted that a 2014 state notification grants authority to various supply officials to inspect outlets and pursue legal action if violations are found. He specified that if ethanol content exceeds 20 percent, the station may be sealed and responsible parties prosecuted. The legal basis for these powers, as cited by Jacob, is a 2005 central order regulating the supply and distribution of motor spirit and high-speed diesel.
The inspections follow allegations in Karnataka that large oil marketing firms were delivering petrol with ethanol levels above the 20 percent threshold. The Hindu BusinessLine noted that tests in that state reportedly showed concentrations reaching 31.2 percent. Rizwan Arshad, Karnataka’s minister for food, civil supplies, consumer affairs and legal metrology, indicated that these findings came from samples taken across seven districts, including Bengaluru, Mangaluru and Tumakuru. The Karnataka administration has since asked for action against the suppliers, according to The Hindu BusinessLine.
Public sector oil marketers have contested the Karnataka findings, arguing that their E20 fuel meets the IS 17021 standard set by the Bureau of Indian Standards for ethanol-blended gasoline. As The Hindu BusinessLine reported, these companies questioned the sampling methods used in the October 2026 testing cycle in Karnataka. The Hindu also highlighted that Keralam’s decision to launch random checks was directly triggered by the high ethanol levels detected in its neighbor, linking the two states’ regulatory responses.