Rule 92 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.
Rule 92 sets how a person asks the Registrar of Geographical Indications to review his own decision. It fixes the form, the time, the grounds statement, the number of copies and the Registrar's power to reject or grant the request. Applicants unsure whether a decision is worth reviewing often take a legal dispute resolution opinion within the first fortnight, since the month runs from the decision.
An application for review under clause (c) of section 60 is made on Form GI-7 within one month of the decision, or within a further period not exceeding one month if the Registrar allows it on request. It must carry a statement of the grounds. If another person is affected, the application and statement are left in triplicate and the Registrar forthwith sends each of them a copy. The Registrar hears the parties and may reject or grant the application, with or without conditions.
What review is
Review asks the same decision-maker to look again. It is different from an appeal, which goes to a higher forum. Section 60 of the Act lists the Registrar's powers; clause (c) is the power to review. Our article on sections 60 to 62 of the GI Act explains these powers, and our article on section 31 of the GI Act explains appeals to the High Court.
A drafting flag: the Second Schedule list of forms gives "63, rule 92" for review, while rule 92 itself cites clause (c) of section 60. Follow the rule's own words: section 60(c).
The text of rule 92
"An application to the Registrar for the review of his decision under clause (c) of section 60 shall be made on Form GI-7 within one month from the date of such decision or within such further period not exceeding one month thereafter as the Registrar may on request allow, and shall be accompanied by a statement setting forth the grounds on which the review is sought."
Taking this phrase by phrase:
| Element | Rule 92 |
|---|---|
| Whose decision | The Registrar's decision under the Act or Rules |
| Power | Clause (c) of section 60 |
| Form | Form GI-7 |
| Time | One month from the date of the decision |
| Extension | Further period not exceeding one month, on request, if the Registrar allows |
| Accompaniment | A statement setting forth the grounds |
Two points deserve emphasis.
The month runs from the date of the decision. Not from receipt. A decision communicated late shortens the period in practice. The rule makes no allowance for postal delay.
The extension is limited and discretionary. The total cannot exceed two months: one month plus not more than one month "thereafter". The Registrar "may" allow it "on request", so the applicant should ask in time and give reasons.
Fee
The fee is entry 7D of the First Schedule as substituted in November 2025: "on application for review of Registrar's decision", Form GI-7, Rs. 500. The further month in rule 92 is built into the rule itself, which speaks of a request to the Registrar. Rule 83, on extension of time on Form GI-9, applies only to times not expressly provided in the Act and not already extendable under the Rules; see our article on rules 83 to 85.
Where more than one person is affected
"Where the decision in question concerns any other person in addition to the applicant, such application and statement shall be left in triplicate and the Registrar shall forthwith transmit a copy each of the application and statement to the other person concerned."
So if the decision was made in a proceeding with an opponent, or with authorised users who are affected, the filing is in triplicate. The Registrar sends a copy of the application and a copy of the statement to every other person concerned, and he does so "forthwith". The applicant need not serve them. The rule does not say how the Registrar learns who is concerned, and it fixes no time for their reply.
Hearing and outcome
"The Registrar may, after giving the parties an opportunity of being heard, reject or grant the application, either unconditionally or subject to any conditions or limitations, as he thinks fit."
The Registrar:
- gives the parties an opportunity of being heard;
- may reject or grant; and
- if granting, may do so unconditionally or on conditions or limitations.
The rule does not set a time for the hearing or the decision, and it says nothing about what the effect of a grant is on the original decision. The text is silent. It also does not say whether the period for an appeal under the Act is affected by a pending review; consult the Act and the Registry on that.
The Registry's manual on review
The GI Registry's Manual of Practice and Procedure (2011) discusses review in paragraph 14.06 (guidance only, without the force of law, and older than both amendments). It repeats the rule's content: the Registrar may review his own decision on an application made in the prescribed manner; the applicant files Form GI-7 with a statement of grounds; the time is one month from the decision, or a further period not exceeding one month; and the Registrar may reject or grant after hearing.
The manual adds one practical comment: review is "normally" preferred when the application has been abandoned and the applicant is serious in prosecuting it and has no intention to abandon it, as an alternative to filing a fresh application. This is the Registry's own view in 2011, not a rule. The manual's amounts and its appeals chapter are not relied on here.
Review compared with appeal
| Point | Review (rule 92) | Appeal (section 31) |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides | The Registrar | The High Court |
| Time | One month plus up to one month | As the Act provides |
| Form | Form GI-7 with grounds | As the Act and court rules provide |
| Other parties | Registrar transmits copies | Per court procedure |
Rule 98 of these Rules, on the time for appeal, refers to the Intellectual Property Appellate Board. That Board was abolished by the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021, and appeals under section 31 now lie to the High Court; see our article on rules 98 to 101.
An example
The Registrar refuses a Kandhar Silk Weavers' Cooperative application for a procedural reason on 10 March. The Cooperative believes a document it had filed was overlooked. On 5 April it files Form GI-7 with a statement of grounds, pays the entry 7D amount, and, because an opponent is concerned, leaves the papers in triplicate. The Registrar sends copies to the opponent forthwith, hears both sides and grants the review on a condition. Had the Cooperative missed 10 April, it would have needed to ask the Registrar for the extra period, which cannot go past 10 May.
Amendments made after November 2025 should be checked before acting.
Need help with a review?
A review application is short but unforgiving on time and grounds. Our legal dispute resolution team can draft the statement of grounds, complete Form GI-7 and track the one-month and extension dates.
Key takeaways
- Review lies under section 60(c) and is made on Form GI-7.
- The time is one month from the decision, plus a further period not exceeding one month if allowed.
- A statement of grounds must accompany the application.
- Where another person is concerned, file in triplicate; the Registrar transmits copies forthwith.
- The Registrar hears the parties and may reject or grant, with or without conditions.
- Entry 7D is Rs. 500 as per the First Schedule as substituted in November 2025.
Read next
- Rules 89 to 91: costs in uncontested cases and scale of costs
- Rule 93: form of affidavits
- Sections 60 to 62 of the GI Act: powers of Registrar and evidence
- Section 31 of the GI Act: appeals to the High Court
Disclaimer: Based on the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Rules, 2002 as notified on 8 March 2002 and as amended by the Amendment Rules of 2020 (G.S.R. 528(E)) and 2025 (G.S.R. 812(E)), as consulted on 2 October 2026. Later amendment rules, forms and fees should be checked in their current form. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.