Appeals & Complaints

Appeals and Complaints

Lakshmi Biosciences is committed to ensuring a fair, transparent, and impartial editorial process. While editorial decisions are made after careful consideration of peer reviewers' recommendations and the Editor's assessment, authors who believe that a decision was based on a factual error, misunderstanding, or procedural concern may submit a formal appeal.

Appeals must present clear scientific justification and substantial evidence addressing the reasons for rejection. An appeal based solely on disagreement with the editorial assessment regarding the novelty, significance, or suitability of the manuscript will generally not be considered.

The Editor-in-Chief, together with the relevant Handling Editor and, where appropriate, independent editorial advisors, will review the appeal. The manuscript may be re-evaluated by the original reviewers, additional independent reviewers, or new editors if deemed necessary. The decision reached following the appeal process shall be considered final. Acceptance of a manuscript is not guaranteed even if an appeal is accepted for reconsideration, and authors may be requested to undertake substantial revisions before any further editorial decision is made.

Complaints relating to publication ethics, editorial conduct, peer review, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest, research misconduct, or other ethical concerns will be handled confidentially, fairly, and in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and Flowcharts.

Authors, reviewers, editors, or readers wishing to submit a complaint should contact the Editorial Office of the respective journal. Upon receipt of a complaint, the Editorial Office will acknowledge the submission, document the concern, and initiate an appropriate investigation.

Where necessary, Lakshmi Biosciences may:

• Request additional information or supporting evidence from the complainant.
• Seek a response from the author(s), reviewer(s), or editor(s) involved.
• Consult the Editorial Board, Research Integrity Committee, or independent subject experts.
• Notify the relevant institution, funding agency, or other appropriate authority when required.
• Follow the applicable COPE guidance and flowcharts when investigating allegations of publication misconduct.

If a complaint involves the Editor-in-Chief or a member of the Editorial Board, the matter will be handled independently by the Publisher or an independent Ethics Committee to ensure a fair, transparent, and unbiased investigation.

Following completion of the investigation, Lakshmi Biosciences will communicate the outcome to the complainant and implement any necessary editorial actions, including corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, or other measures considered appropriate under the journal's publication ethics policies.

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)