Raipur consumer court orders Maruti Suzuki to replace vehicle in E20 petrol dispute

In arguably the first consumer case related to the E20 petrol, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has ordered Maruti Suzuki to replace a Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid vehicle. The court further stated that in case the replacement order is not complied with within 45 days, the vehicle manufacturer has to pay compensation.

According to an NDTV report, the complaint was filed by Dr Premraj Debta, a resident of Raipur, who stated that his Grand Vitara Strong Hybrid Zeta+, bought in June 2024, has repeatedly been suffering technical snags even though it was manufactured in January 2023.

Consumer wins E20 case

The complainant further stated that the vehicle repeatedly stalled within five months of purchase. Debta alleged that it was taken to the service centre several times, where its fuel tanks were cleaned following detection of contamination.

Also Read: BJP-NDA supporters reject E20: 'Government should listen to people's feedback'

Elaborating further, the complainant stated that the problem kept returning, adding that during a test conducted by a government-recognised laboratory, a white, curd-like substance was found, which was identified as ethanol. He further alleged that he was never informed that the vehicle was not fully E20 compatible.

Repeated defects alleged

However, the vehicle manufacturer and the dealer argued that the vehicle was E20 compatible, claiming that the defects resulted from routine wear and maintenance issues.

Also Read: E20 petrol row: Gadkari says only dealers, not consumers, can check mileage

The court was not convinced and directed Maruti Suzuki and the dealer to replace the vehicle with a new E20-compatible model within 45 days, adding that in case of non-compliance, they have to refund Rs 20.50 lakh, which includes vehicle price, RTO charges and insurance premium.

The court also awarded Rs 1 lakh for mental harassment and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses, adding that interest will be applied if the amount is not paid within the stipulated time.

Court orders replacement

It further stated that despite repeated attempts to repair the vehicle, the issues were not resolved, adding that they persisted even after multiple visits to the workshop.

Also Read: IIT Kanpur claims E20 petrol doesn't harm engine performance

The order also referred to the limited fuel choices available to motorists, pointing out that the E20 petrol has become the commonly available fuel in petrol pumps.

The development comes amid increasing debate over the Centre’s E20 policy, with a section of vehicle owners alleging that the fuel blend was resulting in mileage drop and engine damage.

Debate over E20 continues

Earlier, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said that motorists cannot accurately measure a vehicle's mileage on their own.

Speaking to ABP News, Gadkari responded after a journalist claimed her 2023 car's mileage had dropped from 11 km/litre to 7 km/litre following the switch to E20 petrol. When asked how she arrived at the figure, she replied, "I checked it in my car, just as everyone does."

Gadkari rejected the method, saying, "You and I can't check the mileage. A car's mileage can only be checked using a company-authorised dealer's machine."