ONLINE CERTIFICATE COURSE ION I

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS

1. CONCEPT IOF IGEOGRAPHICAL IINDICATIONS

The iterm iGeographical iIndication (GI) iis ia isign iused ion iproducts ithat ihave ia
ispecific geographical origin iand ipossess iqualities ior ia ireputation ithat iare idue ito ithat
iorigin. iIn iorder ito ifunction ias ia iGI, ia isign imust iidentify ia iproduct ias ioriginating
iin ia igiven iplace. iSection i2 iof ithe iThe iGeographical iIndications iof iGoods
i(Registration iand iProtection) iAct, i1999t idefines ithe iterms iused iin ithe iAct. i

The idefinition iof isome inotable iterms iis igiven ibelow: i i

Section i2 i(1) i(b): i“Authorised iuser” imeans ithe iauthorised iuser iof ia igeographical
iindication iregistered iunder iSection i17. iAny iperson iclaiming ito ibe ia iproducer iof ithe
igoods iin irespect iof iwhich ia igeographical iindication ihas ibeen iregistered imay iapply
ifor iregistration ias ian iauthorized iuser. i

Section i2 i(1) i(e): i“Geographical iindication” iin irelation ito igoods imeans ian iindication
iwhich iidentifies isuch igoods ias iagricultural igoods, inatural igoods ior imanufactured
igoods ias ioriginating, ior imanufactured iin ithe iterritory iof ia icountry, ior ia iregion ior
ilocality iin ithat iterritory, iwhere ia igiven iquality, ireputation ior iother icharacteristic iof
isuch igoods iis iessentially iattributable ito iits igeographical iorigin iand iin icase iwhere
isuch igoods iare imanufactured igoods ione iof ithe iactivities iof ieither ithe iproduction ior
iof iprocessing ipreparation iof ithe igoods iconcerned itakes iplace iin isuch iterritory,

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iregion ior ilocality, ias ithe icase imay ibe. i

It imay ibe inoted ithat iany iname iwhich iis inot ithe iname iof ia icountry, iregion ior
ilocality iof ithat icountry ishall ialso ibe iconsidered ias ithe igeographical iindication iif iit
irelates ito ia ispecific igeographical iarea iand iis iused iupon ior iin irelation ito iparticular
igoods ioriginating ifrom ithat icountry, iregion ior ilocality, ias ithe icase imay ibe. i

Section i2 i(1) i(f): i“Goods” imean iany iagricultural, inatural ior imanufactured igoods ior
iany igoods iof ihandicraft ior iof iindustry iand iincludes ifood istuff.

Section i2 i(1) i(g): i“Indication” iincludes iany iname, igeographical ior ifigurative
irepresentation ior iany icombination iof ithem iconveying ior isuggesting ithe igeographical
iorigin iof igoods ito iwhich iit iapplies. i i

Section i2 i(1) i(k): i“Producer” iin irelation ito igoods, imeans iany iperson iwho:- i(i) iif
isuch igoods iare iagricultural igoods, iproduces ithe igoods iand iincludes ithe iperson iwho
iprocesses ior ipackages isuch igoods; i(ii) iif isuch igoods iare inatural igoods, iexploits ithe
igoods; i(iii) iif isuch igoods iare ihandicraft ior iindustrial igoods, imakes ior imanufactures
ithe igoods; i(iv) iand iincludes iany iperson iwho itrades ior ideals iin isuch iproduction,
iexploitation, imaking ior imanufacturing, ias ithe icase imay ibe, iof ithe igoods. i

2. THE ISALIENT IFEATURE IOF ITHE IACT

The isalient ifeatures iof iGeographical iIndications iof iGoods i(Registration i& iProtection)
iAct, i1999 iare ias iunder: i i

(a) Definitions iand iinterpretations iof iseveral iimportant iterms ilike i"geographical
iindication", i"goods", i"producers", i"packages", i"registered iproprietor", i"authorized
iuser" ietc. i i

(b) Provision ifor ithe imaintenance iof ia iRegister iof iGeographical iIndications iin itwo
iparts-Part iA iand iPart iB iand iuse iof icomputers ietc. ifor imaintenance iof isuch
iRegister. iWhile iPart iA iwill icontain iall iregistered igeographical iindications, iPart iB
iwill icontain iparticulars iof iregistered iauthorized iusers. i i

(c) Registration iof igeographical iindications iof igoods iin ispecified iclasses. i i

(d) Prohibition iof iregistration iof icertain igeographical iindications. i i

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(e) Provisions ifor iframing iof irules iby iCentral iGovernment ifor ifiling iof iapplication,
iits icontents iand imatters irelating ito isubstantive iexamination iof igeographical
iindication iapplications.

(f) Compulsory iadvertisement iof iall iaccepted igeographical iindication iapplications iand
ifor iinviting iobjections. i i

(g) Registration iof iauthorized iusers iof iregistered igeographical iindications iand
iproviding iprovisions ifor itaking iinfringement iaction ieither iby ia iregistered
iproprietor ior ian iauthorized iuser. i i

(h) Provisions ifor ihigher ilevel iof iprotection ifor inotified igoods. i i

(i) Prohibition iof iassignment ietc. iof ia igeographical iindication ias iit iis ipublic iproperty.

(j) Prohibition iof iregistration iof igeographical iindication ias ia itrademark. i

(k) Appeal iagainst iRegistrar's idecision iwould ibe ito ithe iIntellectual iProperty iAppellate
iBoard iestablished iunder ithe iTrade iMark ilegislation. i

(l) Provision irelating ito ioffences iand ipenalties.

(m) Provision idetailing ithe ieffects iof iregistration iand ithe irights iconferred iby
iregistration

(n) Provision ifor ireciprocity ipowers iof ithe iregistrar, imaintenance iof iIndex, iprotection
iof ihomonymous igeographical iindications ietc.

3. REGISTRATION IOF IGEOGRAPHICAL IINDICATIONS

Section i8 iof ithe iAct iprovides ithat ia igeographical iindication imay ibe iregistered iin
irespect iof iany ior iall iof ithe igoods, icomprised iin isuch iclass iof igoods ias imay ibe
iclassified iby ithe iRegistrar iand iin irespect iof ia idefinite iterritory iof ia icountry, ior ia
iregion ior ilocality iin ithat iterritory, ias ithe icase imay ibe. iThe iRegistrar imay ialso
iclassify ithe igoods iunder iin iaccordance iwith ithe iInternational iclassification iof igoods
ifor ithe ipurposes iof iregistration iof igeographical iindications iand ipublish iin ithe
iprescribed imanner iin ian ialphabetical iindex iof iclassification iof igoods. iAny iquestion

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iarising ias ito ithe iclass iwithin iwhich iany igoods ifall ior ithe idefinite iarea iin irespect iof
iwhich ithe igeographical iindication iis ito ibe iregistered ior iwhere iany igoods iare inot
ispecified iin ithe ialphabetical iindex iof igoods ipublished ishall ibe idetermined iby ithe
iRegistrar iwhose idecision iin ithe imatter ishall ibe ifinal. i I\

4. WHO IARE IENTITLED IFOR IREGISTRATION?

As iper iSection i11 iany iassociation iof ipersons ior iproducers ior iany iorganisation ior
iauthority iestablished iby ior iunder iany ilaw irepresenting ithe iinterest iof ithe iproducers
iof ithe iconcerned igoods ican iapply ifor ithe iregistration iof ia igeographical iindication.
iThe iApplicant ihas ito ibe ia ilegal ientity iand ishould ibe irepresenting ithe iinterest iof
iproducers iof ithe igoods iapplied ifor. iAny isuch iorganisation ior iassociation ibeing inot
ithat iof ithe iproducers imay ihave ito iprove ithat ithey irepresent ithe iinterest iof
iproducers. i

Any iApplicant iAuthority ialso ihas ito iprove ithat ithey irepresent ithe iinterest iof
iproducers. iAn iapplication ifor iregistration iof ia igeographical iindication iis ito ibe imade
iin iwriting, ialong iwith ithe iprescribed ifees i(as ispecified iunder iFirst iSchedule), iand
ishould ibe iaddressed ito ithe iRegistrar iof iGeographical iIndications. i[Rule i12 i&, i13] i

 Jurisdiction i

The iGeographical iIndication iRegistry iis isituated iat iGeographical iIndications iRegistry,
iIntellectual iProperty iOffice iBuilding, iG.S.T. iRoad, iGuindy, iChennai i– i600032 ihaving
iall-India iJurisdiction. iApplication ior iany iother idocument imay ibe ifiled idirectly iin ithe
iGI iRegistry, iChennai, ior imay ibe isent iby ipost ior iregistered ipost ior ispeed ipost ior
icourier iservices.

 Filling iof iApplication

(i) An iIndian iapplication ifor ithe iregistration iof ia igeographical iindication ican ibe
imade iin itriplicate iin iForm iGI i– i1(A) ifor isingle iclass iand iin iGI i– i1 i(C) ifor
imultiple iclasses. i i

(ii) A iConvention iApplication ishall ibe imade iin itriplicate iin iForm iGI i– i1(B) ifor
isingle iclass iand iin iGI i– i1 i(D) ifor imultiple iclasses. i i

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(iii) Power iof iAttorney, iif irequired.

(iv) An iApplication ishall ibe isigned iby ithe iapplicant ior ihis iagent.

5. CONTENTS IOF IAPPLICATION

The iapplication ishould iinclude ithe irequirements iand icriteria ifor iprocessing ia iGI
iapplication ias ispecified ibelow: i i

i. A istatement ias ito ihow ithe igeographical iindication iserves ito idesignate ithe igoods
ias ioriginating ifrom ithe iconcerned iterritory iof ithe icountry ior iregion; i i

ii. The iclass iof igoods; i

iii. geographical imap iof ithe iterritory ior ilocality iin iwhich igoods iare iproduced; i

iv. The iparticulars iof iappearance iof ithe igeographical iindication; i i

v. Particulars iof iproducers; i i

vi. An iaffidavit iof ihow ithe iapplicant iclaims ito irepresent ithe iinterest iin ithe iGI; i i

vii. The istandards ibenchmark ifor ithe iuse ior iother icharacteristics iof ithe iGI; i i

viii. The iparticulars iof ispecial icharacteristics; i i

ix. Textual idescription iof ithe iproposed iboundary; i i

x. The igrowth iattributes iin irelation ito ithe iGI ipertinent ito ithe iapplication; i i

xi. Three icertified icopies iof ithe imap iof ithe iterritory, iregion ior ilocality i; i i

xii. Particulars iof ispecial ihuman iskill iinvolved i, iif iany; i i

xiii. Full iname iand iaddress iof ithe iassociation iof ipersons ior iorganization; i i

xiv. Number iof iproducers; iand i i

xv. Particulars iof iinspection istructures, iif iany, ito iregulate ithe iuse iof ithe iGI. i[Rule
i32]. i

On ireceipt iof ithe iapplication, ia inumber iis iallotted. iThereafter, ithe iexaminer
iscrutinizes ithe iapplication ito icheck iwhether iit imeets ithe irequirements iof ithe iGI iAct
iand ithe iRules. i

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 Deficiencies i

If iany ideficiency ifound ithrough ia ipreliminary iexamination iwould ibe icommunicated

iby ithe iExaminer ito ithe iApplicant. iThe ideficiencies ineed ito ibe icomplied iwithin ithe
itime ilimit imentioned iin ithe icommunication. i[Rule31] i

Upon icompliance iof ithe ideficiencies, ithe iRegistrar ishall iordinarily iconstitute ia
iConsultative iGroup iof iexperts i(not imore ithan iseven irepresentatives) ito iascertain ithe
icorrectness iof ithe iparticulars ifurnished iin ithe iStatement iof iCase. iThe iConsultative
iGroup iis ichaired iby ithe iRegistrar iof iGeographical iIndications. i[Rule i33] iAfter
iissuance iof ithe iExamination iReport, isubmissions iof ithe iapplicant iwould ibe
iconsidered. iIf ino ifurther iobjection iis iraised, ithe iapplication iwould ibe iaccepted iand
ipublished i(within ithree imoths iof iacceptance) iin ithe i

 Geographical iIndications iJournal

After iadvertisement iof ia iGeographical iIndication iin ithe iGeographical iIndications

iJournal, iany iperson imay iwithin ithree imonths ioppose ithe iregistration iof ian
iapplication ifor iGI. iThis iperiod imay ibe iextended iby ia iperiod, inot iexceeding ione
imonth, iby imaking ian iapplication ito ithe iRegistrar ialong iwith ithe iprescribed ifee.
iSuch ian iapplication ifor iextension ishall ibe ifiled ibefore ithe iexpiry iof ithe iperiod iof
ithree imonths. iThe iNotice iof iOpposition ishall ibe ifiled ionly ibefore ithe iRegistrar iof
iGeographical iIndications iat iChennai. i[Section i14, iForm iGI-2] i

 Registration i i

If ino iopposition iis ifiled iwithin ithe iperiod ispecified ior iwhere ian iopposition iis ifiled
iand iit iis idismissed iand ithe iappeal iperiod iis iover, ithe iRegistrar iregisters ithe
igeographical iindication iin iPart iA iof ithe iRegister iunless ithe iCentral iGovernment
iotherwise idirects. iOn ithe iregistration iof ia igeographical iindication, ithe iRegistrar ishall
iissue ieach ito ithe iapplicant iand ithe iauthorised iusers, iif iregistered iwith ithe
igeographical iindication, ia icertificate isealed iwith ithe iseal iof ithe iGeographical
iIndications iRegistry. iThe idate iof ifiling iof ithe iapplication ishall ibe ideemed ito ibe ithe
idate iof iregistration. iIt imay ibe inoted ithat iwhere iregistration iof ia igeographical
iindication iis inot icompleted iwithin itwelve imonths ifrom ithe idate iof ithe iapplication
iby ireason iof idefault ion ithe ipart iof ithe iapplicant, ithe iRegistrar imay, iafter igiving

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inotice ito ithe iapplicant iin ithe iprescribed imanner itreat ithe iapplication ias iabandoned
iunless iit iis icompleted iwithin ithe itime ispecified iin ithat ibehalf iin ithe inotice. [Section
i16] i

 Duration iof iRegistration i i

According ito iSection i18, ia iregistered igeographical iindication ishall ibe ivalid ifor i10
iyears iand ican ibe irenewed ifrom itime ito itime ion ipayment iof irenewal ifee. iAny
iperson iaggrieved iby ian iorder ior idecision iof ithe iRegistrar imay iprefer ian iappeal ito
ithe iintellectual iproperty iappellate iboard i(IPAB) iwithin ithree imonths. i[Section31] i

 Benefits iof iRegistration i i

Geographical iIndications iregistration igives ito ithe iregistered iproprietor iand iits
iauthorised iusers, ithe ilegal iright ito ithe iexclusive iuse iof ithe iGI iand ialso ithe iright ito
iobtain irelief iin icase iof iits iinfringement. iExclusion iof iunauthorized ipersons ifrom
imisusing iGI iwould iensure ithat igenuine iproducts iof ithe irightful iproducers iare
imarketed. i i

 Prohibition iof iRegistration iof iCertain iGeographical iIndications i i

For iregistration, ithe iGI imust ifall iwithin ithe iscope iof ithe idefinition iof ithe iexpression
i“geographical iindication‟ ias igiven iunder iSection i2 i(1) i(e) iof iGI iAct. iIn iaddition,
isuch ia iGI ishould inot ifall iwithin ithe ipurview iof iprohibitions icontained iin iSection i9
iwhich iare ias ifollows: i i

(a) the iuse iof iwhich iwould ibe ilikely ito ideceive ior icause iconfusion; ior i i

(b) the iuse iof iwhich iwould ibe icontrary ito iany ilaw ifor ithe itime ibeing iin iforce; ior i i

(c) which icomprises ior icontains iscandalous ior iobscene imatter; ior i

(d) which icomprises ior icontains iany imatter ilikely ito ihurt ithe ireligious isusceptibilities
iof iany iclass ior isection iof ithe icitizens iof iIndia; ior i i

(e) which iwould iotherwise ibe idis-entitled ito iprotection iin ia icourt; ior i i

(f) which iare idetermined ito ibe igeneric inames ior iindications iof igoods iand iare,
itherefore, inot ior iceased ito ibe iprotected iin itheir icountry iof iorigin, ior iwhich ihave
ifallen iinto and misuse iin ithat icountry; ior i i

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(g) which, ialthough iliterally itrue ias ito ithe iterritory, iregion ior ilocality iin iwhich ithe
igoods ioriginate, ibut ifalsely irepresent ito ithe ipersons ithat ithe igoods ioriginate iin
ianother iterritory, iregion ior ilocality, ias ithe icase imay ibe; ishall inot ibe iregistered
ias ia igeographical iindication. i

 Offenses i i

The ifollowing iare ithe iacts ideemed ias ioffenses. iIn ithe icontext iof ioffenses, iwhat
iconstitutes ithe imeaning iof i“applying igeographical iindication ihas ibeen idealt iwith iin
iSection i37 iand ithe iexpression igeographical iindication ihas ibeen idefined iin iSection i2
i(1) i(e). i

Section i38 ilist itwo ikinds iof ioffenses inamely:- i(a) ifalsifying ia iGI iand i(b) ifalsely
iapplying ia iGI. i

 The ipenalty ifor ifalsification iof iGIs iand ithe icircumstances iin iwhich ia iperson
iapplies ifalse iGI iare ienumerated iin iSection i39. i

 Selling igoods ito iwhich ifalse iGI iis iapplied ias ioutlined iin iSection i40. i

 Enhanced iPenalty ifor isubsequent iconvictions ifor ithe ioffenses iof ifalsifying,
ifalsification iof iGIs ior iselling igoods iwith ifalse iGIs. i

 Falsely irepresenting ia iGI ias iregistered ias ilisted iin iSection i42. iMisrepresenting
ithe iGI ias iRegistered, iwhich ihas inot ibeen iactually iregistered iis ian iOffence. i

 Improperly idescribing ia iplace iof ibusiness ias iconnected iwith ithe iGIs iRegistry ias
ilisted iin iSection i43. i

 Falsification iof ientries iin ithe iRegister ias ilisted iin iSection i44. i

 No ioffence iin icertain icases ias iprovided iunder iSection i45. i

 Exemption iof icertain ipersons iemployed iin iordinary icourse iof ibusiness ias
iprovided iunder iSection i46. i

 Procedure iwhere iinvalidity iof iregistration iis ipleaded iby ithe iaccused ias iprovided
iin iSection i18.

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