Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (MDG 2024) vs MDG 2012: what changed for dealers

Short answer

Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (MDG 2024), effective 24.10.2024, replaced MDG 2012 (Ver. 7, last amended 30.11.2022). Most of the text is unchanged. A dirty toilet and short delivery with W&M seals intact moved from major to minor MDG 8.4, the separate wage penalty is gone, and customer service standards are new MDG 5.1.18.

The Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (MDG 2024) are the oil companies' rules for their dealers, and bind dealers through the dealership agreement. This page is a plain-language explanation by MDG Services (a brand of VRUOOM Private Limited). It is not the official text and is not connected with or approved by IndianOil, BPCL, HPCL or any government body, so please check the current guidelines and circulars on the oil companies' own websites and with your oil company officer before you act.

Checked against the Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (Ver. 1, effective 24.10.2024) on 15 October 2026. Published by MDG Services on 19 October 2026.

A fine you read about that is not in Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (MDG 2024) may come from MDG 2012: Version 7, effective 8 January 2013, last amended on 30.11.2022 MDG 2012 cover page. MDG 2024 is Version 1, effective 24.10.2024 MDG 2024, cover page.

What changed, at a glance

Topic	MDG 2024 (24.10.2024), in force	Older guideline, replaced on 24.10.2024 (MDG 2012, Ver. 7)
Unclean toilet (toilet rules)	Minor. Warning-cum-guidance letter, then Rs 10,000, then Rs 25,000 per irregularity MDG 8.4	Major. Rs 15,000, then Rs 25,000, then the higher of Rs 35,000 and 45% of average monthly margin (last 6 months), plus 7 days' suspension or until fixed, whichever is later MDG 2012 8.3(vii)
Short delivery, W&M seals intact (5-litre test)	Minor. Same ladder as above MDG 8.4	Major. Rs 25,000 per nozzle found short beyond the legal limit, then Rs 50,000 per nozzle plus 15 days' suspension, then termination; the second and third within one year of the first MDG 2012 8.3(x)
Short delivery at the pump	Sales stop only beyond the legal limit. Within it, recalibration is due in 15 days MDG 5.1.2(a)	Sales stop; recalibrate and re-stamp first, even within the limit MDG 2012 5.1.2(a)
Wages (staff wages)	No wage penalty line in Chapter 8. The duty stays and names PMSBY and PMJJBY MDG 1.5(x); unlisted matters are acted on after an enquiry MDG 8.5.4	Own penalty: 20%, then 30%, then 40% of average monthly margin (last 3 months), plus 15 days' suspension at the third instance MDG 2012 8.3(ix)
Customer service standards (the 20 points)	New MDG 1.6(xii) MDG 5.1.18, and a minor item in MDG 8.4	No such clause
Toilet protocol	Eight points, including access for all customers and transit travellers at all times (subject to safety protocols), and a Darpan QR code MDG 5.1.14(b)	Seven points, the last being that the door is not kept locked MDG 2012 5.1.14(b)
Appeals (appeal)	Adds a committee of 2 EDs where an ED-rank authority terminated; SC/ST: a committee of two Directors MDG 8.9	ED (Retail) or a nominated ED; SC/ST: one Director MDG 2012 8.9
Smaller changes	Minor items a to h count as one irregularity MDG 8.4. The dealer keeps a record of written automation authorisations MDG 5.1.16	Items a to e MDG 2012 8.4. Email or signed letter only MDG 2012 5.1.16

Old clause numbers: toilet MDG 2012 8.3(vii) is now MDG 8.4(iii)(g); short delivery MDG 2012 8.3(x) is now MDG 8.4(iii)(h); automation MDG 2012 8.3(viii) is now MDG 8.3(vii).

What did not change

Apart from spelling and layout, these read the same in both: the critical list and the ladders that remain MDG 8.2 MDG 8.3 MDG 8.4, the 10 AM density rule MDG 5.1.9, stock limits MDG 5.1.11, records MDG 5.1.12, sampling, the show cause timeline MDG 8.5.6 MDG 8.5.7 MDG 8.5.8, the kerosene chapter MDG 8.10 and Annexures 1 to 13a.

General information, not legal advice. For your own notice, speak to an advocate or your oil company.

Questions dealers ask

01What is the difference between MDG 2012 and MDG 2024?

Most of the text is unchanged. The toilet and short-delivery penalties moved from major to minor MDG 8.4, the wage penalty went, and customer service standards came in MDG 5.1.18.

02Is MDG 2012 still valid, and when did it start?

No. MDG 2024 replaced it on 24.10.2024 MDG 2024, cover page. MDG 2012 took effect on 8 January 2013 MDG 2012 cover page.

03What was the toilet penalty under MDG 2012 and what is it now?

Under MDG 2012 it was major: Rs 15,000, then Rs 25,000, then the higher of Rs 35,000 and 45% of margin, plus 7 days MDG 2012 8.3(vii). Now it is minor: a warning-cum-guidance letter first MDG 8.4.

04Is non-payment of wages a penalty under MDG 2024?

MDG 2024 has no separate wage penalty line, but the duty remains MDG 1.5(x). The text does not say which class a lapse falls in, so ask your oil company.

05Does an offence under MDG 2012 still count against me?

It can: irregularities under the previous guideline within the five years before a new one count as instances MDG 8.5.5. The text does not say how an old major toilet or short delivery finding is counted now, so ask your oil company.

Read the official text: Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (PDF on Bharat Petroleum's website) (also published on iocl.com).

Petrol pump toilet rules in India under MDG 2024The daily toilet checks Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (MDG 2024) sets, who may use the toilet, and the penalty now versus an older, replaced figure.

The 5 litre test at a petrol pump: daily nozzle checks under MDG 2024MDG 2024 makes the dealer check every nozzle before sales each day and keep a W&M-verified 5-litre measure: what to record, a variation, the penalty.

Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (MDG 2024) PDF: where to read it, version and updatesWhere to read the MDG 2024 text on the oil companies' websites, its version and effective date, and a dated log of the circulars we know of under it.

Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (MDG 2024) glossary: terms and full formsA to Z meanings of the short forms and terms in MDG 2024 that a petrol pump dealer meets, such as MDG, OMC, RO, MS, HSD, MPD, NANO and reference density.

About Dealer Kavach (advertisement)

Dealer Kavach is an app from MDG Services that tracks your outlet's filings, renewals, inspections and daily reports, and reminds you before deadlines, in Hindi and English.

About this page. This page is a plain-language explanation published by MDG Services, a brand of VRUOOM PRIVATE LIMITED (CIN U29194HR2021PTC098450). It is general information, offered free of charge. It is not the official text of any rule.

Not connected with the oil companies or the government. MDG Services is a private company. It is not connected with, approved by, endorsed by, or acting for Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IndianOil), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) or any government body. Our name shares letters with the short form "MDG" that the oil companies use for their Marketing Discipline Guidelines. That does not mean any link with them.

Names and marks. IndianOil, BPCL, HPCL and the names of their documents belong to their owners. We write them only to say whose rules we are explaining.

Check the official source. The Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024 (Ver. 1, effective 24.10.2024) and related circulars are issued by the oil companies. Rules, amounts and dates can change, and amendments may reach dealers directly without being public. Before you act, read the current documents on the oil companies' own websites (iocl.com, bharatpetroleum.in, hindustanpetroleum.com) and ask your own oil company's officer. If this page and the official document differ, the official document is the one to follow.

What the amounts mean. Amounts in the guidelines are the minimum action. The oil company may take higher action, up to ending the dealership. Do not treat any amount shown here as your full exposure.

Court and Parliament items. Where we mention a court order or a statement in Parliament, we report what was said on the date shown. It is not the rule for your outlet, and the position may have changed since. Your dealership agreement and the oil company's current guidelines decide.

Not legal advice. This is general information, not legal advice. For your own notice, reply or appeal, speak to an advocate or your oil company. Examples use made-up outlets.

Last checked. The "checked" date shows the day we last compared this page with the official documents. It does not promise that nothing has changed since.

Report an error or send a legal notice. If you see a mistake, or need to send us a notice, write to hello@mdgservices.in. We read every message, check it, and correct or remove the page.

Limits on our responsibility. We take reasonable care to keep this page accurate. To the extent the law allows, MDG Services and VRUOOM PRIVATE LIMITED are not responsible for loss caused by relying on this page alone instead of the official documents. This does not limit anything the law does not allow us to limit, including responsibility for fraud or for an error we knew about and did not correct. Your legal rights are not affected.

Advertisement. The box headed "About Dealer Kavach" is an advertisement for a paid service from MDG Services. This explanation is free and needs no sign-up or purchase to read.

Hindi pages. Hindi pages are written for easy reading. If a Hindi page and the official English document differ, the official English document is the one to follow.

Full disclaimer

Report an error or send a legal notice: hello@mdgservices.in