The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 — back to Table of Contents
Section 42. Penalty for falsely representing a geographical indication as registered
This section bars a person from representing that an unregistered geographical indication is registered, from claiming a registered geographical indication is registered for goods it is not in fact registered for, or from claiming that registration confers an exclusive right broader than what the limitations entered on the register actually allow.
Contravention attracts a monetary penalty equal to one-half per cent of the person’s total sales, turnover, or gross receipts as shown in audited accounts, or five lakh rupees, whichever is less (this penalty structure was substituted for the earlier criminal punishment by the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, with effect from 1 August 2024).
Using expressions like “registered geographical indication” or symbols such as “R.G.I.” in India is deemed to refer to registration under this Act, except where the reference is clearly to a foreign registration — either because accompanying words of equal prominence make that clear, or the symbol itself indicates a foreign registration, or the goods concerned are solely for export to that foreign country.
