Draft explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
The draft Guidelines for Filing a GI Application of September 2026 give a ten-item checklist of documents, a separate list of ten requirements to gather before filing, and a description of the online route through the GI e-filing portal. This article sets the draft's lists beside the 2011 Manual's position, explains what the draft proposes, and shows how a producer body can prepare a complete file.
This is a draft published for comments (September 2026); it is not final, it is not law and does not have the force of law; the Act and the Rules as now in force prevail. The current position should be checked on ipindia.gov.in.
The draft proposes a checklist built on the Act, the Rules and current Registry requirements: the application form, statement of case, proof of legal status, applicant details, statement of use, proof of origin, additional representation, translation, a producer-representation affidavit and a certified map. For online filing it describes registration on the portal, OTP verification, form and language selection, upload and preview, e-sign and payment. Forms, fees and periods come from the Rules as now in force, which prevail over the draft.
How this fits with the existing guides
Our guide on the documents checklist and preliminary examination under the 2011 Manual already sets out the paper-era list drawn from the Rules. This article does not repeat it; it shows where the draft's lists differ. The statutory form and signing rules are in rule 23 on form and signing of the application and the Rules on forms, size of documents and electronic filing. For the practical filing of the form see how to file Form GI-1. Our geographical indication registration team prepares the file in either format.
The draft's checklist of documents (part B)
The draft says the documents should be complete, correct and signed, and that its checklist rests on the Act, the Rules and current Registry requirements. In summary it proposes ten items:
- the appropriate application form, signed by the applicant or authorised agent;
- the statement of case, signed likewise;
- proof of the applicant's legal status;
- the applicant's full details, including nationality and contact details;
- a statement of use, with an affidavit and supporting material;
- proof of origin and history, with full references and copies;
- the additional representation;
- a translation where any word is not in Hindi or English;
- an affidavit showing producer representation; and
- certified copies of the map of the GI area, with title, publisher and date of issue.
The draft's ten requirements for filing (part C)
Part C is a collecting list for the information behind those documents: the existing name and an optional logo; the applicant's details and legal papers; the name and class of goods, following the classification of the Act and Rules; the GI area with three certified copies of the map issued by a competent authority, including longitude and latitude details where required; an original notarised producer-representation affidavit, which the draft would have mention approximate annual turnover connected with the product and the date of execution; proof of origin; method of production; product specification and description; uniqueness; and details of the inspection body. The earlier draft guides in this series explain the substance: specification, area and proof of origin and method, uniqueness and the inspection body.
The draft beside the 2011 Manual
| Item | The 2011 Manual position (as covered in our guide) | The September 2026 draft |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Application in the prescribed Form GI-1, on paper, signed | Appropriate form, filed online or physically; the draft names four versions by Indian or foreign applicant and single or multi-class |
| Statement of case | Required, with the matters of rule 32 | Required; signed by applicant or agent |
| Legal status and representation | Affidavit on how the applicant represents producers | Legal-status papers plus a notarised representation affidavit, with turnover and date |
| Statement of use | Period and person of use, with affidavit and exhibits | Statement of use with affidavit, labels, photographs, sales information |
| Map | Certified copies of the map | Certified copies, with title, publisher and date of issue |
| Additional representation | Several copies, with specified particulars | An additional representation with name, applicant, goods, class, specification and period of use |
| Translation | Transliteration and translation of non-Devanagari or non-Roman words | Accurate translation with the language stated; Registry may ask for endorsement |
The draft is a restatement for a digital process, not a change in the statutory list. Where the draft and the Rules differ, the Rules prevail.
Online filing as the draft describes it (part D and Annexure-I)
The draft describes, for an applicant who has assembled the documents, a sequence on the portal at ipindia.gov.in: register with basic details; verify the account with an OTP; log in; select the form and the language, English or Hindi; fill in the form; upload documents and preview the generated form; e-sign; pay the official fee, which the draft says the system calculates automatically; and receive an acknowledgement before the application goes to the Registry. It adds that the application must be submitted in the prescribed form with the required fee.
The Annexure's quick guide, in its own account, offers account types of applicant, facilitator, GI agent or attorney; separate forms for Indian and foreign applicants and for single and multiple classes; a field for the GI logo; ten mandatory PDF documents of limited size; and an e-sign step that uses an Aadhaar-linked number. It also says that a new e-filing service with application tracking will be available from 15 September 2026. This is the draft's own description of a portal and not a rule: check ipindia.gov.in for how the live portal works today.
On the fee, take the head and amount from the First Schedule, substituted in 2025, not from the draft.
Preparing a complete file
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before the portal | Collect every document, with certified map copies |
| Signatory | Settle who signs: a GI agent, an authorised signatory of the association, or a principal officer of a company or authority |
| Translations | Prepare an accurate translation for any word not in Hindi or English, naming the language |
| Evidence | Index proof of origin with full references |
| Portal account | Create the account with an email that the society will keep for years |
| Review | Preview the generated form and check each field |
| Record | Save the acknowledgement and application number |
A worked example
The Kaveripur Spice Growers' Society (an invented body) wants to file. A volunteer who has used the draft's checklist notes that the society has all the documents except the certified map and a notarised affidavit with the turnover figure.
The society obtains certified copies of the map from the competent authority, with title, publisher and date of issue, and has the affidavit notarised. The project coordinator creates the portal account using the society's permanent email. The president, who is the authorised signatory, completes the e-sign step. The society records the application number and keeps all copies, aware that the draft is only a description and that the Rules, not the draft, decide what the form and fee should be.
Common lapses
- Treating the draft's checklist as the legal list.
- No certified map, or a map without title, publisher and date.
- A representation affidavit that is not notarised or omits the date.
- A personal email on the portal account.
- Using a fee figure from the draft instead of the First Schedule.
Need help with the file?
A complete file avoids deficiency reports. If you want a second pair of eyes on your documents before filing, see our geographical indication registration service.
Key takeaways
- The draft proposes a ten-item checklist and a ten-item list of requirements.
- Compared with the 2011 Manual, the draft restates the list for a digital process.
- The draft describes online filing from registration to payment.
- Fees and forms come from the Rules as now in force and the 2025 First Schedule.
- The Act and Rules, not the draft, govern.
Read next
- Draft filing guidelines 2026: from filing to registration and the nine stages
- Draft filing guidelines 2026: method of production, uniqueness and inspection body
- Draft filing guidelines 2026: who can apply and the producer body
- Documents checklist and preliminary examination under the Registry Manual
Disclaimer: Based on the documents of the Geographical Indications Registry named in the article (the Manual of Geographical Indications Practice and Procedure, Version 01.11 of 26 July 2011, and the draft guidelines published for comments in October 2025 and September 2026), as consulted on 4 October 2026. A draft is not final; none of these documents has the force of law; the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and the Rules of 2002 as now in force prevail and the current position should be checked on ipindia.gov.in. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.