PGS-India builds appeals into every level of the programme, and each one has a fixed destination and a fixed window. Miss the window, or send it to the wrong body, and it is the appeal that fails — not the case. This episode sets out the routes from Chapters 6 and 8 of the official guidelines.
The windows
- 2 weeksTo appeal a sanction, from the date you were notified
- 15 daysNo answer from the Zonal Council? A Local Group may go to the Secretariat
- 30 daysFor an appeal to be disposed of
- 90 daysWhere the appeal needs an investigation
Appealing a Sanction
Each level can appeal a sanction imposed by the level above it — and every one of these routes has the same two-week window from notification.
by Local Group"] -->|"2 weeks"| B["Appeal to the RC,
or the whole group if
a committee sanctioned"] C["Local Group sanctioned
by RC"] -->|"2 weeks"| D["Appeal to the
Zonal Council"] D -->|"No reply in
15 days"| E["PGS Secretariat"] F["RC sanctioned by
Secretariat"] -->|"2 weeks"| G["Appeal to PGS-NEC"] G -->|"Not satisfied"| H["PGS-NAC"]
Complaints and Appeals by Local Groups and Farmers
| Grievance | Goes to |
|---|---|
| A farmer denied certification by the group's certification committee, or facing an adverse peer appraiser report | The full group body |
| Arbitrary decisions by group members, or a group working against PGS-India norms | The Regional Council and/or Zonal Council |
| Certification denial by the RC, or RC practices raising conflict of interest, impartiality or independence concerns | The Zonal Council |
| An appeal the Zonal Council hasn't addressed in time | The PGS Secretariat |
The group itself is an appeal body. Where a large group has elected a certification committee, the full member body can hear appeals against that committee's decisions — so a farmer's first appeal often doesn't leave the village.
Complaints by the Public
Consumers, trade bodies, retailers, traders or anyone else can complain about certification under PGS-India:
- About a Local Group, individual producer or processor → the concerned Regional Council.
- About a Regional Council → the Zonal Council and the PGS Secretariat.
- About misuse of the PGS-India logo → the Zonal Council or Regional Council.
- About an adverse residue testing report → the Zonal Council or Regional Council.
Complaints and Appeals by Regional Councils
An RC may complain to the PGS Secretariat about Zonal Councils and the monitoring and review process, and appeal to PGS-NEC against disciplinary action taken by the Secretariat. If still not satisfied after the NEC, it may appeal to the PGS-NAC.
How Long They Have to Answer
All appeals are to be disposed of within 30 days of receipt. Where an appeal needs investigation, the limit is 90 days. A Zonal Council must decide a Local Group's appeal against certification denial within 30 days, and investigate a complaint and report to the Secretariat within 60 days.
Making the Appeal Count
- Note the date you were notified — the two-week clock runs from there.
- Send it to the body one level above whoever made the decision, not straight to the top.
- Attach the decision or sanction being appealed and your evidence: appraisal sheets, meeting registers, correspondence.
- Record when you sent it. If a Zonal Council hasn't replied in 15 days, that record is what lets a Local Group escalate to the Secretariat.
What the sanctions themselves are, and what triggers each one, is covered in the sanctions episode. The full chain of command is in Who Runs PGS-India.