Application of Prosecution History Estoppel in Trademark Infringement Proceedings

  • March 17, 2023
  • Drishti Kardam
  • Indiradevi Kollipara

The doctrine of prosecution history estoppel, which was initially prevalent in determining the infringement of patents, also has its uses in trademark infringement proceedings. It prevents individuals from claiming the advantages associated with a right waived on a previous occasion.

When applied to trademarks, the doctrine dissuades applicants from misusing the opportunity bestowed upon them to amend their claims of infringement by relying on the submissions made to the Registry while making the trademark application or during the examination. In this context, it is relevant to understand the estoppel concept, defined under Section 115 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. This section states as follows: –

“When one person has, by his declaration, act or omission, intentionally caused or permitted another person to believe a thing to be true and to act upon such belief, neither he nor his representative shall be allowed, in any suit or proceeding between himself and such person or his representative, to deny the truth of that thing.”

Although judges make infrequent use of the doctrine in disposing of trademark infringement cases, its significance in this domain cannot be understated. For instance, this doctrine was applied by the Delhi High Court in Mankind Pharma Ltd. v. Chandra Mani Tiwari & Anr.[1] Back when the plaintiff had applied for the registration of the mark ‘ATORVAKIND’, the examiner found that it was similar to the marks ‘ATORKIND’ and ‘ATORKIND-F’. In its reply to the examination report, the plaintiff contended that its mark was different from the cited trademarks. The defence proved that the plaintiff’s reply took the publici juris defence for the term ‘KIND’. Subsequently, the court held that the defendant’s use of the mark ‘MERCYKIND’ did not constitute trademark infringement, and accordingly, the plaintiff’s plea for injunction was dismissed.

Here are some instances wherein the doctrine of prosecution history estoppel can be applied, and prosecution history (I.e., history of the proceedings right from application filing to trademark registration) can be relied upon in trademark infringement cases: –

Trademark includes a generic or descriptive term

If an application is made for the registration of a trademark with a generic or descriptive term, subsequently, the claimant cannot assert in the infringement proceedings that the mark used by the defendant is generic or descriptive. This principle also extends to determining the scope of goods and services. If the claimant in the prosecution stage claims the difference in goods or services compared to another mark, then the claimant can be said to have misclassified the goods at the prosecution stage. However, if the claimant has stated that there exists a difference in goods or services amongst rival companies, then infringement suits will backfire against the claimant.

Failure to make disclosures

Claimants must disclose statements given in the prosecution case that are potentially contradictory to the infringement claims posed in the infringement proceedings. And failure to make said disclosure could lead to the claimant’s incrimination. In some cases, the failure of the defendant to challenge the claimant’s trademarks can lead to prosecution history omission, just as in the Dish TV[2] case.

One can conclude that the doctrine of prosecution history estoppel calls for cautious handling of arguments and submissions at every stage of the prosecution of trademark applications. The arguments should be made considering their implications in the future as it unlocks an ambit for approbation and reprobation, which in most cases is used against the proprietor of the IP.

References:

[1] 2018 SCC OnLine Del 9678.

[2] Dish TV India Ltd. v. Prasar Bharti, 2019 SCC OnLine Del 9141.

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The doctrine calls for cautious handling of arguments and submissions at every stage of the prosecution of trademark applications. The arguments should be made considering their implications in the future as it unlocks an ambit for approbation and reprobation, which in most cases is used against the proprietor of the IP.

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Online Gaming: Challenges in Protection of Intellectual Property

  • February 13, 2023
  • Mathews V C

IP protection is a crucial aspect of the gaming industry as it helps game developers in protecting their creations and ensures that they receive appropriate recognition and adequate compensation for their work. However, protecting IP rights can prove difficult in the digital world, especially in countries where IP laws are weak or nonexistent.

Introduction

The gaming industry in India has been growing and evolving rapidly over the past few years. According to estimates, the Indian gaming industry was valued at approximately US$1.1 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach US$2.1 billion by the end of this year. The massive growth in this domain could be attributed to the increase in smartphone use, growing middle-class population, easy access to high-speed internet connections, rise in disposable income, expansion of e-commerce, and extensive use of online modes of payments. These factors enable companies and investors to tap into opportunities offered by the industry.

The mobile gaming segment, which accounts for more than 70% of the total market value, is the largest and fastest-growing segment of the country’s gaming industry. Moreover, the esports market is proliferating, driven by investments and recognition of esports as a competitive sport.

Challenges Faced by Game Developers

The exponential progress in the field of gaming has brought about numerous challenges such as complications involved in the protection of Intellectual Property (IP), game cloning issues, etc. With the rise of digital distribution, it has become easier for rogue companies to copy popular games and market them as their own, thereby infringing on the original game’s IP and reputation.

One of the biggest challenges in protecting IP in online gaming is the issue of game cloning. Game cloning occurs when one company creates a copy of another company’s game and markets it as its own. This not only infringes on the original game’s IP, but it can also harm the reputation of the original game and the company behind it. Game cloning is particularly prevalent in the mobile gaming industry, where the low barriers to entry and the ease of access to development tools make it simple for companies to create a copy of a popular game. Game cloning may confuse consumers or users, resulting in a loss of revenue for the original game’s developers. Such cloning also harms the reputation of the original game. In some cases, game cloning can also lead to negative reviews and decreased ratings for the original game, further impacting its business performance and success.

Another challenge in protecting IP in online gaming is the issue of piracy. With digital games, it is easy for users to obtain and share illegal copies of the game, which can result in lost revenue for the game’s creators. This is particularly problematic for smaller game developers, who may not have the resources to invest in anti-piracy measures. While some companies have attempted to use digital rights management (DRM) technology to prevent piracy, this can also make the game less accessible for legitimate users and can result in technical issues.

Protection of Intellectual Property

To combat the challenges of protecting IP in online gaming, game developers can take several steps. Firstly, they can register their IP, including trademarks and copyrights, to have a more robust legal standing in the event of an infringement. Additionally, game developers can invest in anti-piracy measures, such as DRM technology, to prevent the illegal distribution of their games.

Another way to protect IP in online gaming is by enlisting the help of the gaming community and collaborating with its members. Game developers can work with players to report game cloning and piracy instances, allowing them to take swift action to protect their IP. Additionally, game developers can engage with players to gather feedback and improve their games, creating a loyal and engaged community invested in the game’s success.

Conclusion

Though the challenges of protecting IP in online gaming are complex and multi-faceted, game developers can mitigate these challenges and ensure the success of their games through IP registration, anti-piracy measures, collaborating with members of the gaming community, etc. The gaming industry is constantly evolving, and the challenges of protecting IP in online gaming will continue to change. In this rapidly changing marketplace, game developers must be proactive in protecting their IP to remain competitive and receive the recognition and compensation they deserve.

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Photo by Ron Lach : https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-teenagers-watching-a-man-play-game-on-computer-7849517/

Though the challenges of protecting IP in online gaming are complex and multi-faceted, game developers can mitigate these challenges and ensure the success of their games through IP registration, anti-piracy measures, collaborating with members of the gaming community, etc. The gaming industry is constantly evolving, and the challenges of protecting IP in online gaming will continue to change. In this rapidly changing marketplace, game developers must be proactive in protecting their IP to remain competitive and receive the recognition and compensation they deserve.

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Music on the Block: How Music Artists can Benefit from Blockchain Technology

  • January 19, 2023
  • Mathews V C

All of us make use of music streaming services quite frequently. But have we ever stopped to wonder how the creators or artists get paid for their music? More often than not, music artists are forced to settle with modest royalty earnings. Nevertheless, the advent of blockchain technology has ushered in a new era and this technology has the potential to ensure that music artists get adequate compensation for their efforts and talent.

All have enjoyed music throughout the ages. The music industry has evolved from EP records to Cassettes to CDs to MP3s. Currently, music is enjoyed predominantly via digital streaming platforms such as Spotify, and Apple Music, and closer home services such as Airtel Wynk, Times Music, JioSaavn, etc.

However, the growth in streaming services like Spotify has not benefited individual artists who typically receive very little royalty overall because of slowing album sales. Taylor Swift, a famous musician, went to the extent of removing her music from Spotify due to the low per-stream royalty.

The advent of blockchain technology has set the stage for the music industry to undergo another evolution. With the blockchain, artists can create a token-based economy where the value is derived from an artist’s work. When a token is created, the artists convert their intellectual property into a financial asset that all of us can purchase. All holders of this token receive a portion of the artists’ revenue. Hence the more consumers of the content, the higher the token’s value. An artist thus can raise revenue through the launch of a token.

Tokenization of the asset also assists in the removal of the middleman. Currently, recording labels take away the majority of the gains. Recording labels also act as hindrances many a time for the entry of new artists into the business. A system based on blockchain eliminates the middleman, thus putting the power back into the hands of the creators. Funds are raised by fans rather than the recording label via tokenization. The flip side of this model is the lack of users.

A few platforms exist such as Theta.tv,  the YouTube of Web 3.0, or Audius (which is said to be the equivalent of Spotify or Apple Music). Having used these platforms, it is safe to say that though there is a vast scope, their success and similar platforms will depend on the consumers or users.

Artists can also utilize Non-Fungible Tokens (“NFT”) to create a new vertical of revenue generation from their work. Purchasing music as NFTs holds much value for both the creator and the collector. For one, there is a transfer of ownership.

In a world driven by music streaming, the conundrum arises of why a purchase of the rights in music would be required. The answer, as always, lies in the monetization of the asset. The purchaser sees value in buying the rights and reselling them later for a potential profit. Such music NFTs benefit artists at both the initial sale pricing and the secondary sales. Artists can earn from secondary sales in the form of royalties, especially if the underlying smart contract attached to the music NFT is so that they can earn future royalties on such sales.

Platforms such as Async.art help artists mint NFTs of their musical works, and Catalog Works let music fans bid on digital records. Award-winning artist, Ross Golan who has worked with renowned artists like Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, and rock bands such as Maroon 5 and Linkin Park, also recently minted The World’s First NFT Musical, The Wrong Man.  

There is still much grey area regarding the synergy between blockchain and music. However, the benefits, as well as the various avenues, are something that cannot be denied. In time, we are confident of innovative music-focused NFT projects, which will hopefully allow the creators or artists to get the compensation they deserve for their craft.

Image Credits:

Photo by Matthias Groeneveld: https://www.pexels.com/photo/set-of-retro-vinyl-records-on-table-4200745/

The advent of blockchain technology has set the stage for the music industry to undergo another evolution. With the blockchain, artists can create a token-based economy where the value is derived from an artist’s work. When a token is created, the artists convert their intellectual property into a financial asset that all of us can purchase. All holders of this token receive a portion of the artists’ revenue. Hence the more consumers of the content, the higher the token’s value. An artist thus can raise revenue through the launch of a token.

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Registration of GUI as Designs: Existing Provisions and Challenges

  • January 13, 2023
  • Drishti Kardam

In this article, an attempt is being made to highlight how GUIs can be protected and to ascertain the challenges faced by applicants in filing design applications for the registration of GUIs.

Introduction

A Graphic User Interface (GUI) which allows users to interact with electronic devices or machines, is widely used in the present digital age. The term was coined in the 1970s to distinguish graphical interfaces from text-based ones, such as command line interfaces (CLI), etc. Apple’s GUI-based operating system – Macintosh, Microsoft’s Windows, Mobile Touch Screens, and other 3D interfaces (Eg. Augmented Reality) are all examples of GUIs.

Protection of GUI: A Look at Locarno Classification and Designs (Amendment) Rules, 2021

Just as trademarks are classified into various classes of goods and services provided for in the internationally accepted NICE classification, Designs also have a classification of articles to which a design can be applied, known as the Locarno Classification.

The Locarno Classification, developed under the Locarno Agreement (1968), is an international classification used for registering industrial designs. India became the 57th member to be a signatory to the Locarno agreement in 2019. The changes were incorporated through the Designs (Amendment) Rules, 2021, thereby bringing the classification of industrial designs at par with the rest of the world as opposed to the previous national classification.

Subsequently, on 25th January 2021, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified the Designs (Amendment) Rules, 2021, which substituted Rule 10 of the Design Rules 2001, and incorporated the current edition of the Locarno Classification, which specifically created Class 14 – Recording, telecommunication, or data processing equipment, with a subclass “Class 14-04 – Screen Displays and Icons”, and further provided for Class 32, allowing for two-dimensional graphic designs, graphic symbols, and logos, to be protected under the Designs Act, 2000, provided that these designs satisfy the essentials of an ‘Article’ and a ‘Design’ as defined in Sections 2(a) and 2(d) of the Act.

Lacunae in Legislation

As per the Designs Act, 2000, a design means “only the features of shape, configuration, pattern, ornament, or composition of lines or colours applied to any article, whether in two dimensional or three dimensional or in both forms, by any industrial process or means, whether manual, mechanical or chemical, separate, or combined, …”

Now, this is precisely where the problem arises. Even after the Locarno Classification was introduced and the Designs Rules were amended to deal with confusion and uncertainties in the classification of industrial designs, the lawmakers have failed to amend the definition of ‘Design’ and bring the Designs Act, 2000, along the same lines. Further, the Controllers make conflicting observations and the interpretations provided by them seem to lack uniformity.

A GUI should be protected since its intrinsic purpose is to enhance the visual appeal of the program and thus build on its commercial value. The definition of a design given under the Act is limited and does not expressly provide for graphics and/or software. Due to this lacuna, the definition is open to multiple interpretations.

Practice Followed by the Indian Design Office

Before 2009, Microsoft was granted registration for some of its designs under Class 14-99, in the ‘Miscellaneous’ category. Thereafter, in the year 2014, Amazon filed a design application under no. 240305 pertaining to a “Graphic user interface for providing supplemental information of a digital work to a display screen”, which was rejected by the Design Office, on the grounds that GUIs do not qualify as designs under Section 2(d) of the Act, they lacked “consistent eye appeal” and were not physically accessible.

Over the years, several new applications for the registration of GUIs have been filed. While a few have been granted[1], most Examiners opine that the GUIs do not fall under the definition of ‘designs’ and hence, cannot be protected. Hence, applicants are wary of filing design applications for registration of GUIs due to the absence of robust precedents.

Observations made by US Courts

In Ex Parte Tayama[2], the Court made the following observations –

  1. Programmed Computer Systems would suffice to be termed as an article of manufacture.
  2. Design (GUI) is an integral part of computer programmes.

Further, the patent battle[3] between Apple and Samsung (2011 – 2018) ended with Apple being awarded $539 million for Samsung’s infringement of its initial design. Apple was all the while contending to protect its “Total User Experience”.

Various Design Patents have been granted by USTPO, such as apparatus for displaying the path of a computer program error as a sequence of hypertext documents in a computer system having display[4], device, method, and graphical user interface for adjusting content selection[5], etc.

European Union’s Position

EU also provides wide protection to designs under EU Directive 98/71/EC on Legal Protection of Designs. GUIs in the EU are generally registered under the Community Design Regulation (Council Regulation No. 6/2002/EC) but may also exist as unregistered Community Designs. The regulation, however, excludes computer programmes.

Conclusion

The current definition of a design is inadequate and does not expressly cover the aspects of graphics/GUIs. Undoubtedly, the various developments in the IT industry have made the world realize the importance of protecting graphics. However, the introducing of international classification (Locarno Classification) and bringing amendments to existing laws are not sufficient. It is imperative to establish new guidelines and provide appropriate training to the Examiners at the Design Office so that a uniform mechanism is in place to facilitate the registration of graphic symbols/GUIs.

References:

[1] Design Application Numbers 274917, 274918, 284680, 276736, 260403

[2] 24 U.S.P.Q.2d (BNA) 1614 (BPAI Apr. 2, 1992)

[3] Apple, Inc. v. Samsung Elecs. Co., 926 F. Supp. 2d 1100 (N.D. Cal. 2013) (partially affirming jury damages award).

[4] US6763497B1

[5] US10915243B2

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Photo by cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-using-macbook-3584994/

A GUI should be protected since its intrinsic purpose is to enhance the visual appeal of the program and thus build on its commercial value. The definition of a design given under the Act is limited and does not expressly provide for graphics and/or software. Due to this lacuna, the definition is open to multiple interpretations.

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Rooh Afza has Immense Goodwill: Delhi HC Rules in Trademark Infringement Case

  • January 9, 2023
  • Shreya Chaddha
  • Kanika Birje

The Delhi High Court gave its verdict in the trademark infringement battle between Hamdard National Foundation (India) and Sadar Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., and prohibited the latter company from using the mark “DIL AFZA” thereby protecting the trademark “ROOH AFZA”.

In a suit for trademark infringement by Hamdard National Foundation (India) against Sadar Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., the Delhi High Court held that the trademark “ROOH AFZA” possesses immense goodwill and that competitors must ensure that their marks are not similar to it. A two-judge bench, in its judgment[1] held that since the mark “ROOH AFZA” has been used for over a century, it can be considered a strong mark and, thus, restrained the Respondent from using the mark “DIL AFZA” until the suit is disposed of.

Hamdard National Foundation has filed the present appeal against the order[2] passed by a single judge bench of the Delhi High Court on 6th January 2022, rejecting an application for an interim injunction against Sadar Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. Both the marks are used with respect to sweet beverage concentrate. The Appellants claimed that the Respondents were infringing their marks “HAMDARD” and “ROOH AFZA”, and by selling these products under the mark “DIL AFZA,” they were passing off their products as those of the Appellants.

The Single Judge Bench held that the Appellants have to show that “AFZA” has a secondary meaning to claim exclusivity of their product. Therefore, the Court dismissed the application on the ground that they can claim exclusivity only for the mark “ROOH AFZA” as a whole and not just for “AFZA.”

Aggrieved by the order, the present appeal was filed by Hamdard National Foundation seeking a permanent injunction refraining the respondents from using the mark “SHARBAT DIL AFZA” or “DIL AFZA” on the ground that it is deceptively similar to the mark “ROOH AFZA.” The appellants further claimed that the use of this mark would deceive consumers and amount to passing off and also submitted that this would amount to dilution of the Appellant’s mark.

It was claimed that the marks “HAMDARD” and “ROOH AFZA” have been used for a wide range of products and constitute a well-known mark under Section 2(zg) of the Trademarks Act, 1999 owing to their widespread reputation and has therefore acquired goodwill with respect to the class of products pertaining to sweet beverage concentrates.

The Respondent submitted that by virtue of Section 29 of the Trademarks Act 1999, the allegations of infringement are not maintainable. It was submitted that the Appellants do not have an exclusive right over the word “AFZA” and that their mark has been coined by joining the terms “DIL” and “AFZA” and are not phonetically or visually similar. The Respondent submitted that there was no possibility of confusion between the two marks and every other aspect, such as the design and color scheme of “DIL AFZA” is also materially different from the Appellant’s mark. Therefore, there was no possibility of confusion between the two marks.

The Delhi High Court, after considering the arguments from both sides, stated that “AFZA” is an integral part of both “ROOH AFZA” and “DIL AFZA.” The word is neither descriptive nor normally associated with the product; hence, it is material in determining whether there is an infringement of the trademark. The Court further stated that the use of the word “AFZA” lends a certain degree of similarity, and the trade dress of both products is also similar, making the Respondent’s mark deceptively similar to that of the Appellants.

The Court reiterated that “ROOH AFZA” has been used for over a century and is entitled to protection. The mark is a source identifier with a high degree of goodwill and is susceptible to unfair competitive practices. The Court stated that prima facie, the Respondent’s mark lacks a sufficient degree of dissimilarity and hence set aside the order passed by the Delhi High court and passed an ad interim order restraining the Respondent from manufacturing and selling any product under the mark “DIL AFZA” belonging to Class 32 until the present suit is disposed of.

References:

[1] Hamdard National Foundation (India) & Anr vs Sadar Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. [Case No. FAO(OS) (COMM) 67/2022]

[2] Hamdard National Foundation (India) & Anr vs Sadar Laboratories Pvt. Limited [Case No. CS (COMM) 551/2020]

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Photo by Jessica Lewis: https://unsplash.com/photos/qscDBbXBGiI?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink

The Delhi High Court, after considering the arguments from both sides, stated that “AFZA” is an integral part of both “ROOH AFZA” and “DIL AFZA.” The word is neither descriptive nor normally associated with the product; hence, it is material in determining whether there is an infringement of the trademark. 

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A Perceptive Study of Indian Jurisprudence on the Religious Susceptibility Clause of Trademarks Law

Religion, since time immemorial, has influenced Indian law and society on a political, cultural, and economic level. The country’s rich religious and cultural history has, over the years, been both revered and celebrated around the world.

Our architecture, holy books, epics, symbols, and homonyms all reflect the country’s diverse and rich heritage that encompasses religion. The Indian Constitution further complements this heritage by vesting its citizens with the right to freely profess, practise, and propagate their religion under Articles 25-28,[1] subject to reasonable restrictions.

It is safe to say that religion is deeply intrinsic to Indian society, and inevitably, it has seeped through every facet of the Indian lifestyle, including trade and commerce. Religion, in India, is a sensitive subject, and the use of names of Gods and Goddesses, religious writings, figurines, and scriptures is subject to certain reasonable restrictions under the Indian Constitution as well as other domestic laws, including the trademark law.

Hence, while not entirely forbidden, the proliferation of hypersensitivity with respect to religion and religious scriptures and symbols dictates the jurisprudence around the usage of such marks under the Indian trademark law.

Trademark Law and the Bar of Religion

The use of religious symbols and figurines in commerce and business to draw clients has, over the year, proven to be an effective strategy to encourage growth, considering individuals place a high value on religious symbols and have a solid emotional and spiritual tie to items affiliated with their faith. Such usage, however, is also characterised by the nature of goods and services and the morality or immorality tag duly attached to said goods and services in contemporary society.

Section 9 of the Trademarks Act, 1999 stipulates Absolute Grounds for Refusal of Registration of a trademark.[2] Consequently, Section 9(2)(b)[3] specifically places certain restrictions on the registration of marks that are likely to hurt or insult the religious sensibilities of any class or section of society.

Additionally, the Manual of Trade Marks, Practice and Procedure by the Central Government,[4] in consonance with the provision as has been prescribed under Section 23(1) of the Trademarks Act, 1999,[5] further enumerates a list of notified prohibited trademarks which includes, interalia:

  • Words “Lord Buddha”, “Shree Sai Baba”, “Sri Ramkrishna”, “Swami Vivekananda”, “the Holy Mother alias Sri Sarada Devi”, “Balaji” or their devices and the Emblems of the Ramkrishna Math and Mission or colourable imitation thereof; or
  • Names and pictures of Sikh Gurus, viz. Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das, Guru Arjun Dev, Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Raj, Guru Harkrishnan, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Govind Singh;
  • Name and picture of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj;
  • Name and/or picture of the deity of Lord Venkateswara and/or Balaji.

Indian Jurisprudence and the Contours of Religious Susceptibility

The use of names of Gods or Goddesses, religious symbols or figurines per se is not prohibited under the provisions of the Trademarks Act, 1999.[6] In Vishnu Cement v. B.S. Cement Private Ltd.,[7] for instance, the word “VISHNU” was granted registration in the absence of any device of Lord Vishnu, associated with the word mark, by associating the word mark with a personal name, and not a religious sentiment. Again, in Mangalore Ganesh Beedi Works v. District Judge,[8] a relatively liberal approach was taken by the Allahabad High Court in allowing the proprietor to use the trademark ‘GANESHA’ on beedi packets.

However, such usage in relation to certain goods or services may offend the religious sentiments of certain sections of society. In these situations, such marks would fall within the ambit of marks not eligible for registration. For instance, a trademark carrying the name and image of Goddess Meenakshi regarding fertilisers and manure was revoked under the erstwhile 1958 Act.[9] Similarly, in Amritpal Singh v. Lal Babu Priyadarshi[10] the mark RAMAYANA was found incapable of registration. The case acted as the first instance of a blanket restriction being imposed on the registration of the name of a religious book by interpreting the provisions under Section 9(2)(b) of the Trademarks Act, 1999, stricto sensu.

Interestingly, in all these cases, the courts have cited the need to prevent the monopolisation of names of gods and religious symbols and figurines, adding that these words lack enough distinctiveness and merely qualify as common words, which should not be allowed for registration. The Bombay High Court recently refused registration to the word “LAXMI,” citing the aforementioned, on the grounds that it was a common name and thus lacked any distinctiveness to merit registration.[11]   

It is pertinent to note from the aforesaid that the courts have refrained from defining strictly measurable thresholds when it comes to dealing with marks that might have a religious connotation, which is fair and understandable to an extent, considering the sensitive nature of such cases. However, the lack of consistency in the reasoning cited behind these decisions has raised some eyebrows, and the conflicting decisions have left much to be desired.

More recently, the Kerela High Court granted the Attukal Bhagawathy Temple Trust the registration of the “picture of Attukal Deity” and the title “Sabarimala of Women” under Class 42 – a residuary clause (for temple services, social services, welfare services, and cultural activities), citing the need to “prevent unauthorised use of the deity’s picture and title.”[12] The case stands as one of a kind, where a temple trust has been granted registration for carrying out services corresponding to the temple and in the name of a particular religion and goddess, thereby risking the exclusion of an entire sect of devotees from using the picture and title of their beloved deity.

While the grant of such a registration might be in contravention of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, the decision also sets out a dangerous precedent, risking the monopolisation and commercialisation of services and other activities carried out in the name of faith, which is in stark contrast to the general position portrayed under the Trademarks Act, 1999, and the spirit of secularism as a whole.

 

Conclusion

While the intention behind the courts not defining a straight-jacket formula while dealing with marks that might have a religious connotation is laudable, considering the sensitive nature of such cases, the inconsistency behind the reasoning cited in some of these cases leaves a lot to be desired.

The use of names of Gods, Goddesses, religious writings, figurines, and scriptures is generally publici juris,[13] and registration of the aforesaid should be allowed only in exceptional cases where the prima facie evidence in favour of the usage by the proprietor is so strong in the public mind that the mark could be deemed to have garnered secondary distinctiveness, to the exclusion of all other parties, bar the proprietor.

No doubt, commercial interest forms the cornerstone of business in the contemporary world, but it’s important to remember that religion and business often don’t go hand in hand, and such commercial interest shouldn’t come at the cost of compromising the religious sentiments of the masses.

References:

[1] India Const. Arts. 25-28.

[2] The Trade Marks Act, No. 47 of 1999. India Code, § 9.

[3] The Trade Marks Act, No. 47 of 1999. India Code, § 9(2)(b).

[4] Manual of Trade Marks, Practice and Procedure by the Central Government, accessible at:  https://ipindia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/IPOGuidelinesManuals/1_32_1_tmr-draft-manual.pdf.

[5] The Trade Marks Act, No. 47 of 1999. India Code, § 23(1).

[6] S.P. Chengalvaraya Naidu v. Jagannath, (1994) 1 SCC 1 (India). See also, Registrar of Trade Marks v. Ashok Chandra Rakhit Ltd., AIR 1955 SC 555 (India).

[7] Vishnu Cement v. B.S. Cement Private Ltd., 1998 (18) PTC 130 (India).

[8] Mangalore Ganesh Beedi Works v. Union of India, (1974) 4 SCC 43 (India).

[9] Sri Meenakshi Tamil Nadu Appl. 1976 IPLR 144 (India).

[10] Amritpal Singh v. Lal Babu Priyadarshi, (2015) 16 SCC 795 (India).

[11] Freudenberg Gala Household Product Pvt. Ltd. v. GEBI Products, MANU/MH/1859/2017 (India). See also, OM Logistics Ltd. v. Mahendra Pandey, 2022 SCC OnLine Del 757 (India) [Registration for the term ‘OM’, was refused] & Shree Ganesh Besan Mills v. Ganesh Grains Ltd., 2021 SCC OnLine Cal 3068 (India) [Registration for the term ‘GANESH’, was refused].

[12] Suo motu Proceedings v. Controller General of Patents, Design and Trademarks, 2013 SCC OnLine Ker 24367 (India).

[13] Bhole Baba Milk Food Industries Ltd. v. Parul Food Specialities Pvt. Ltd., CS (OS) No. 107/2010 (India). 

It is safe to say that religion is deeply intrinsic to Indian society, and inevitably, it has seeped through every facet of the Indian lifestyle, including trade and commerce. Religion, in India, is a sensitive subject, and the use of names of Gods and Goddesses, religious writings, figurines, and scriptures is subject to certain reasonable restrictions under the Indian Constitution as well as other domestic laws, including the trademark law.

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Securing your Data with the Trade Marks Registry

Data privacy has been a cause of concern for individuals and corporates, however, when sharing personal information with government authorities, we tend to overlook this concern. Has one ever wondered how secure her confidential, proprietary, or personal information is while sharing it with a government agency like the Trade Marks Registry?

Indian Intellectual Property Offices come under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; therefore, they are under the control of the Central Government. The Trade Marks Registry, established in 1940, primarily acts as a facilitator in matters relating to the registration of trademarks in India.

The Trade Marks Registry (TMR) is a public filing system. That means once a trademark application is filed with the TMR, a lot of information is placed on record, including the applicant’s and its representative’s personal data, such as mailing address, and the proof of use of the trademark. The digitization of the Registry in 2017 prompted the current practice of recording information on a public access system.

 

Fundamental Concerns

Mailing Address: Open and easy access to such personal information exposes an applicant to scams and other unwanted solicitations. For instance, scam emails (that appear to have been sent by the TMR seeking maintenance fees) from third parties attempt to deceive applicants into paying additional fees. Everyone recalls how anyone who filed an international application between 2005 and 2015 was duped by international scammers who obtained their information from the WIPO. By oversight, many people were duped into paying huge amounts of money.

If an attorney represents an applicant, the TMR does not send correspondence about the trademark application directly to the applicant. In such cases, the Registry directly communicates with their authorised attorneys. Hence, if an applicant receives any mail relating to their trademark, they should consult their attorneys, who may evaluate it to guarantee that a scam letter is not mistaken for real contact.

Documents to support the use of the mark: Applicants are frequently required to submit documentary evidence to support their applications and commercial use of their marks. Such evidence is often public, but an applicant might disclose information they would not intend to make public, such as bills, financial papers, reports, and other confidential information. There is no mechanism to have them masked or deleted from the TMR’s database if such information is uploaded or disclosed.

 

Initiatives by the Trade Mark Registry

In recent times, the TMR has adopted the practice of restricting public access to evidentiary documents submitted during opposition/rectification proceedings that the competing parties upload on the TMR. However, similar documents filed during any other stage, such as filing and pre-opposition prosecution, are still exposed to public access, even if they are documents or information relating to commercial confidence, trade secrets, and/or any other form of confidential, proprietary, or personal information.

However, the advantage of such an open and publicly available database is that it serves as a countrywide “notice,” which means that an alleged infringer of your trademark cannot claim ignorance of your brand. However, disclosure of such information exposes applicants to email scams and other unwanted solicitations and can also harm their competitive position in the market.

In September 2019, on account of various representations made by numerous stakeholders regarding the TMR’s display of confidential, proprietary, and personal information,[1] a public notice was issued by the Registry, inviting stakeholders’ comments on the aforesaid concerns.

The TMR proposed the classification of such documents into two categories:

  • Category I: Documents that are fully accessible and available for viewing or downloading by the public.
  • Category II: Documents for which details will be available in the document description column, but viewing and downloading will be restricted.

 

Roadblocks and Viable Course of Action

Notably, the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, obligates public authorities to make information on their respective platforms available to the public in a convenient and easily accessible manner. There are some notable exceptions to this rule, i.e., information related to commercial confidence and trade secrets is exempted from being disclosed or made accessible to the public in so far as their disclosure leads to a competitive handicap for the disclosing party. Personal information is also exempted to the extent that its disclosure leads to an invasion of privacy or if it has no relation to public activity or interest.

Hence, it is crucial to understand that while such a classification, as has been suggested by the TMR above, might seem like a good initiative on the surface, the lack of any concrete boundaries assigned to the terms “confidential” or “personal” information leaves the Registry with unquestioned discretion to generalise datasets and to restrict access to documents on the TMR website. A simple example could be data collected by the TMR through pre-designated forms, including Form TM A, Form TM O, etc. Most of these forms generally mandate the submission of certain personal information, including the proprietor’s name, address, telephone number, etc. However, this cannot simply mean that the TMR denies the general public access to such trademark application forms, as this would defeat the primary goal of advertising such marks on the Registry, which is to seek any opposition or evidence against such marks. Thus, while the objective behind such a classification of documents might be well-intended, restriction of access to certain documents might lead to a conflict of interest for the TMR, and it might end up over-complicating the due-diligence processes, leading to increased costs and resources.

Such generalised classifications are, hence, only viable in theory. The TMR might end up entertaining hundreds of RTI applications if it decides to limit access to certain documents, which might be necessary for proper due diligence and prosecution. The free and open availability of documents enables the public to have smoother and easier access to essential records and credentials of the trademark proprietors, thereby allowing the masses to have a better understanding of the prosecution history of important trademarks of the target company.

In the long run, a rather sustainable alternative for the TMR might be introducing a multi-factor authentication system for the parties interested in carrying out due diligence or prosecution against a mark. A multi-factor authentication system for gaining access to the records and documents on the Registry might lengthen the entire process in the short run. Nonetheless, the move could be game changer in the long run because it would allow the Registry to restrict access to confidential and personal data of its users to parties with an original or vested interest in the registration of a mark.

Such an approach would not only enable the Registry to provide open and efficient access to necessary documents to the parties who have an original or vested interest in the registration of a mark, but it would simultaneously vest it with the flexibility to protect the sensitive, confidential, as well as personal data of its users from scammers or non-interested parties.

 

Privacy-by-Design

A Privacy-by-Design approach is the future of the modern-day web, and as long as the Registry does not implement more elaborate internal safeguards on its website and databases to protect the privacy and integrity of public data contained therein, it is always recommended that applicants work with an experienced trademark attorney who can assist applicants in reducing the exposure of their information to individuals or a class of individuals with ulterior motives and mitigating the harm associated with the usage of their data.

References:

[1] Public Notice dated 06/09/2019 re Categorization of Documents on the TMR. Accessible at: https://ipindia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/Images/pdf/Catergorization_of_Docs.pdf.

The Trade Marks Registry (TMR) is a public filing system. That means once a trademark application is filed with the TMR, a lot of information is placed on record, including the applicant’s and its representative’s personal data, such as mailing address and the proof of use of the trademark. 

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Gems vs James Bond: Delhi High Court Rules in Favour of Cadbury

In a long-pending case of trademark infringement dispute between Mondelez Indian Foods Pvt. Ltd, formerly Cadbury India Limited (Plaintiff) and Neeraj Food Products (Defendants), the Delhi High Court issued a permanent and mandatory injunction against the Defendant for trading “James Bond”- a chocolate product which bore deceptive similarity to Cadbury’s trademark “Gems”. The Court also imposed a fine of INR 15 Lakhs on the defendant for the copyright infringement.

The lawsuit was filed in August 2005 against the defendant, the sole proprietorship of Mr. Charan Das. Plaintiff 1– Cadbury India Ltd. and Plaintiff 2– Cadbury Schweppes Overseas Limited claimed ownership of the mark ‘CADBURY GEMS’ or ‘GEMS’. The Plaintiffs claim that the defendant launched a chocolate product under the name ‘JAMES BOND’ with the identical colour scheme, layout, and arrangement as the ‘CADBURY GEMS’ or ‘GEMS’ products.

Further, the Plaintiffs also claimed that the product “James Bond” also stood in infringement of the copyright and trademark registration, under its former name, Hindustan Cocoa Products Ltd., bearing registration numbers A-50680/90 and A-49975/89 in respect to a character referred to as “Gems Bond”, often used in various marketing campaigns of their product.

                                           Figure: Packaging of Cadbury Gems and James Bond[1]

Hence, the lawsuit sought a permanent and mandatory injunction and damages for trademark and copyright infringement, passing off, unfair competition and other relief.

The Court observed that the packaging of the Plaintiffs’ ‘GEMS’ product is very unique, with illustrations of colourful button chocolates on a blue/purple base with the mark ‘GEMS’ depicted in a number of colours and a splash in the middle, which is very well known to the young and the old alike.

Numerous “GEMS” advertisements feature the phrase “GEMS BOND,” and some examples have also been made public. The defendant’s packaging features colourful button chocolates and the mark “JAMES BOND”/”JAMEY BOND” with the same blue/purple foundation. The trademark “GEMS” appears on a brown background on both the plaintiff’s and the defendant’s products. The label and packaging for the Plaintiffs’ product share the same colour palette as the Defendant’s product. Additionally, the marks are misleadingly and confusingly similar. Therefore, the court categorised the situation as an instance of res ipsa loquitur.

The Court referred to the Supreme Court’s decisions in Corn Products Refining Co. v. Shangrila Food Products Ltd., (1960) 1 SCR 968 and Parle Products (P) Ltd. v. J.P. & Co., Mysore, in which the contention of the test of infringement and deceptive similarity of competing marks (1972) 1 SCC 618 was settled, wherein it was observed that “the overall structural and phonetic similarity and the similarity of the idea in the two marks is reasonably likely to cause a confusion between them and the Court has to see the similarities and not the dissimilarities.”

The Court also placed reliance on the decision of ITC Ltd. v. Britannia Industries Ltd. 2016 SCC OnLine Del 5004, in which it was observed that “Where the product is eatable like a biscuit, the colour and the colour scheme of the packaging play an important role in the consumer making an initial choice and in enabling a discerning consumer to locate the particular brand of a manufacturer.”

Further, while discussing the concept of ‘initial interest in the same judgment, the Court relied on Baker Hughes Limited v. Hiroo Khushalani, while observing, “In some cases, however, it is also possible that a purchaser, after having been misled into an initial interest in a product manufactured by an imitator, discovers his folly, but this initial interest, being based on confusion and deception, can give rise to a cause of action for the tort of passing off as the purchaser has been made to think that there is some connection or nexus between the products and business of two disparate companies.”

However, that may not be entirely true when it comes to products like biscuits. The packaging of a biscuit does become associated with the manufacturer or brand. The colour of the wrapper would certainly play an important role.

In the present case, the Court opined, inter alia, that the product- ‘GEMS’ is also usually liked and consumed by small children in both urban and rural areas. Therefore, in such a case, the test shall not be limited to that of absolute confusion, but even the likelihood of confusion shall be deemed sufficient. Hence, the product’s layout and the colour combination of the packaging play a vital role when making a purchase. Moreover, chocolates are not merely sold in retail stores or outlets but also at roadside shacks, paan shops, patri vendors, kirana stores and stalls outside schools, etc. Thus, considering that the class of consumers the product is targeted at is children, the likelihood of confusion stands high.

In conclusion, it can be inferred by the Delhi High Court’s decision that the test for the likelihood of confusion stands on several factors, including the product category in dispute and the consumer demographic it appeals to. As observed by the Court, ‘almost everyone’s childhood is associated with Cadbury Gems’; the product was popular amongst many consumers of all ages and across socio-economic backgrounds. Further, the strikingly similar colour scheme of the packets and layouts and the phonetic sounds of the two products were enough to inspire a “likelihood of confusion” at the point of purchase by the consumer, which led the Court to take a firm stand in favour of the Plaintiff.

References: 

[1] https://www.livelaw.in/pdf_upload/pms26072022sc3932018182501-427663.pdf

Image Credits: Photo by Hans Schwarzkopf from Pixabay 

It can be inferred by the Delhi High Court’s decision that the test for the likelihood of confusion stands on several factors, including the product category in dispute and the consumer demographic it appeals to. As observed by the Court, ‘almost everyone’s childhood is associated with Cadbury Gems’; the product was popular amongst many consumers of all ages and across socio-economic backgrounds.

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Streamlining the Patent Process in Startups: A Pressing Priority

India has leveraged the startup ecosystem by offering a conducive environment to make them powerhouses of innovation. According to the Economic Survey 2021-22, the number of new recognised start-ups increased to over 14,000 in 2021-22 up from 733 in 2016-17. The survey further emphasized that intellectual property (IP), notably patents, was the key to a robust knowledge-based economy.

Similar to any other business undertaking, startups interact with various stakeholders, including employees, who regularly exchange ideas and develop key IP. Hence, business operations that significantly rely on IP exchange need an optimized and watertight structure of intellectual property rights protection, especially when they aspire to cater to international markets. In line with the growing importance of startups and IP, the government of India has launched the “Start-up India, Stand-up India Scheme” to support early-stage startups.

 

Recognition as a ‘Startup’

 

Entities to qualify as a ‘startup’ need to be recognized by the competent authority under the START-UP INDIA initiative and fulfil all the criteria for the same. For the sake of more clarity, the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade issued a notification in 2019[1] according to which an entity incorporated as a private limited company, a partnership firm, or a limited liability partnership in India can be considered a startup for up to ten years if its turnover since its incorporation has not exceeded one hundred crore rupees.

Further, such an entity should be actively working towards “innovation, development or improvement of products or processes or services, or if it is a scalable business model with a high potential for employment generation or wealth creation.” Notably, an entity formed due to restructuring or splitting up an existing business cannot be deemed a startup.

A foreign entity can also be considered a start-up if it fulfils the criteria of turnover and specified period of incorporation/registration and submits a valid declaration to substantiate the requisites as per the provisions of the START-UP INDIA initiative.

 

Minding the IP of Business

 

An important criterion for getting startup registration is that the entity should be working to innovate, develop or improve products, processes or services. To protect technical innovation, patent registration is crucial, especially for startups, where the start-up’s success is tied to the novelty of their product and process. The DPIIT has recognised a total of 69,492 startups to date. In addition, startups have filed a total of 6000+ patent applications.7

A product or process with patent protection helps create a solid business model, enabling them to earn a good market reputation, a return on investment (ROI), and access new opportunities for expansion and generate funds.

To this effect, businesses can undertake the following best practices to optimise their inventions and ideas:

  1. Build an IP culture that drives innovation in the organization. For instance, implementing rewarding ownership strategies, implementing IP incentive schemes, encouraging teams to research and identify areas where valuable IP protection can be secured, etc.
  2. Foster IP awareness within the organization.
  3. Build an IP protection system that is driven by strong policy and practice. Organisations should focus on structuring agile protection strategies that prevent knowledge leaks. Undertaking regular IP audits and compressive risk analysis should be the focus.
  4. Once the IP is protected, its commercialization should be the focus. Additionally, organisations should be aware of their IP infringement and take proactive measures to enforce their rights effectively.

 

Gaining Traction with DPIIT Recognition

 

Benefits from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

 

A startup recognised by the DPIIT is eligible for tax breaks on:

  • Prior Turnover
  • Prior Experience
  • Earnest Money Deposit

DPIIT recognised startups can now get listed as sellers on the government e-Marketplace.

Self-certification Under Labour & Environment Laws

  • Startups are allowed to self-certify their compliance with nine labour and three environmental laws for 3 to 5 years from the date of incorporation.
  • In respect of three environmental laws, units operating under 36 white category industries (as published on the website of the Central Pollution Control Board) do not require clearance under three Environment-related Acts for three years. Hence, startups can focus on their core business and keep compliance costs low.

Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS)

  • The government has set up a corpus fund of INR 10,000 Cr. INR 5409.45 cr has been committed to 71 VC firms. In total, INR 5811.29 Cr was invested in 443 startups. 

Faster Exit for Startups

  • As per the Govt Notification, startups are now notified as “fast track firms”, enabling them to wind up the operations of their startups in 90 days.

Seed Fund Scheme

  • Grant up to INR 20 lakh to validate proof of concept, prototype development, or product trials.
  • Grant up to INR 50 lakh for market entry, commercialisation, or scaling up.

Tax Relief

  • Recognised startups are exempted from Income Tax for 3 consecutive years out of the 10 years since incorporation.
  • Startups incorporated on or after April 1 2016, but before April 1 2022, can apply for an income tax exemption under Section 80-IAC of the Income Tax Act.

 

Patent Incentives for Start-ups in India

 

Patent Facilitators

 

The government has identified over 226 local patent facilitators[2] to extend their expertise to DPIIT-recognised startups. The government would reimburse these facilitators for their services.

Patent facilitators are responsible for:

  • Providing general advisory services on a pro bono basis
  • Providing pro bono assistance with IPR filings
  • Assisting with the filing and disposal of IP applications at the National IP offices under CGPDTM
  • Drafting specifications (provisional and final)
  • Preparing and filing responses to examination reports and other queries, notices or letters by the IP offices
  • Appearing at hearings as may be scheduled
  • Contesting opposition, if any, by other parties
  • Final disposal of the IP application. 

 

Fee

 

The government has provided 80% rebate on the patent filing fee to make the process more attractive.

 

Expedited patent registration process:

 

Expedited Examination can be made by filing Form 18A accompanied by Form 9 (Publication). A request filed under a Regular Examination request via Form 18 (rule 24B) can be converted to an Expedited Examination by submitting Form 18A and Form 9.

The IPO has significantly reduced the duration of the patent timeline.

  • Publication: Within 1 month from the date of filing of Form 9.
  • Issuance of the First Examination Report (FER) to the Applicant: Within one month, but no more than two months, from the date the patent application is assigned to the Examiner; and within 45 days from the date, the Examiner submits the FER to the Patent Controller.
  • Response to the First Examination Report by Applicant: Within 6 months of receiving the FER from the IPO.
  • Disposal of the First Examination Report (FER) by the Controller: Within 3 months from the receipt of the last reply from the Applicant.

 

Conclusion

 

The objective of innovation and promoting patent filing by startups is simple, i.e., a patent is directly related to innovation and contributes to significant economic growth for a startup. The upsurge of startups has also led to massive employment generation, with over 5,60,000 jobs in 2016-2020. Hence, it is imperative to have an enabling ecosystem where entrepreneurs are encouraged to file more IPs seamlessly. While launching incentivized schemes and actively working towards reducing the compliance burden for new businesses when filing IP applications is a step in the right direction, there is still a pressing need to address the issues of procedural delays and complex patent processes to tap into the intellectual prowess of the country.

References: 

[1] https://dpiit.gov.in/sites/default/files/notification_Definition_StartupIndia_06July2021.pdf

[2] https://www.startupindia.gov.in/content/sih/en/facilitator.html 

 

Image Credits: Photo by Med Badr Chemmaoui on Unsplash

The objective of innovation and promoting patent filing by startups is simple, i.e., a patent is directly related to innovation and contributes to significant economic growth for a startup. The upsurge of startups has also led to massive employment generation, with over 5,60,000 jobs in 2016-2020. Hence, it is imperative to have an enabling ecosystem where entrepreneurs are encouraged to file more IPs seamlessly.

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2020 In Rewind: Trademarks In India

  • 18 February, 2021
  • Archana Bhageerathi

The entrepreneurship space has seen major evolution with conducive policies and enabling technological environment in the past few years. Specifically, the digital landscape has levelled up in traffic and capabilities owing to the pandemic last year and everything moving online. With that, the intellectual property and technology laws are grappling to catch up to the developing situation and adequately protect the rights of the stakeholders in the sector. Until that happens effectively, the courts are taking a pro-active step to align the developments with the legal intentions and business requirements. With this in view, we witnessed some interesting case updates that took place in the field of trademarks and domain name disputes in the past year. Here is a brief of the key trademark-related updates in India that took place in the year 2020.

I.LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS

There was no significant legislative development in the trademark practice, apart from the Trademark Registry’s decision to go completely virtual with respect to prosecution hearings. The Trademark Registry and the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) much like all the judicial and quasi-judicial bodies across the country, for the time being, has done away with the physical mode of hearing, and it is taking up matters via video conference.

II.SIGNIFICANT CASE LAWS

Here is a recap of key cases within the domain:

Amazon Seller Services Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. v. Amway India Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. FAO(OS) 133/2019 |31-01-2020

In this case, the division bench of the Delhi High Court had set aside the lower court’s order restraining Amazon from allowing the sale of products of Amway India, a Direct Selling Entity, from its platform. Amway India filed a trademark infringement suit against Amazon on the ground that the e-commerce giant is liable as an intermediary for allowing and continuing to allow Amway India’s products (which it alleged were counterfeited products) to be listed on the former’s website by one of Amway’s direct seller. The lower court found Amazon liable for trademark infringement for non-observance of Direct Selling Guidelines and failing to demonstrate due diligence.   

The Division bench while setting aside the lower court’s order ruled that Direct Selling Guidelines are merely advisory to State Governments and Union Territories and they are not binding laws, and hence, it cannot be enforced against e-commerce intermediary. The Court further refuted the claim of trademark infringement on the ground that India follows the principle of international exhaustion of Trademarks, meaning once a good is lawfully acquired by the Direct Seller, the rights over the said good (including right re-sell) vested in the Direct Seller. Hence, Amazon as well as the seller were saved under the second sale exception to trademark infringement under section 30 (4) of the Trademarks Act, 1999.

Imagine Marketing Pvt. Ltd. V. Exotic Mile (CS(COMM) 519/2019) | 21-01-2020

The Plaintiff, commonly known in the market as “BoAt”, consumer electronics brand, sought an injunction against the Defendants from using the mark “BOULT” for the manufacture and sale of electronic audio gadgets mainly earphone, headphones, etc.

The Delhi High Court (single bench) had passed an interim injunction restraining the Defendant from using the mark “BOULT” ruling that it was deceptively similar to “BoAt” and that even their taglines were similar to each other. However, the Division Bench ordered a stay on the injunction order by stating that “prima facie there is no similarity visually or phonetically between the original Plaintiff and the Defendant.”

The matter is now evenly poised, and we await to see if the Division Bench would have a different take on its opinion after hearing the arguments.

Reckitt Benckiser (India) Pvt. Ltd v. Mohit Petrochemicals Pvt. Ltd. CS(COMM)No.141/2020 & I.A.Nos.4034-37/2020 | 28-05-2020

In an infringement suit filed by Reckitt Benckiser, the Delhi High Court while imposing Rupees One Lakh on Mohit Pharmaceuticals, permanently restrained them from selling hand sanitizers under the brand name “Devtol” which was considered deceptively similar to the Plaintiff’s well-known trademark “Dettol”.

M/s ITC Limited v. Nestle India Limited 2020 SCC OnLine Mad 1158 | 10-06-2020

ITC had launched its Sunfeast Yippie Noodles in two varieties – one of which was “Magic Masala”. Defendant i.e., Nestle had adopted the name “Magical Masala” for one of their instant noodle product. Since Plaintiff had not registered the expression “Magic Masala” as a trademark, it filed a passing-off suit against Defendant. Defendant affirmed that they were using the term “Magical Masala” as a flavour descriptor. The Defendants further contended that “Magic” and “Masala” were the two most common terms that were used in the culinary industry and therefore could not be monopolized.

The High Court of Madras held that the expressions “Magic” and “Masala” were common terms that were used on a day-to-day basis in the Indian food industry and Indian culinary, therefore the same could not be monopolized by the Plaintiff or the Defendant. The court further opined that even Plaintiff had used the term “Magic Masala” as a flavour descriptor rather than a trademark or a sub-brand. Therefore, the court concluded that ITC had used the term “Magic Masala” in a laudatory manner and the same could not be monopolized.  

Hindustan Unilever v. Endurance Domain and Ors. 2020 SCC Online Bom 809 | 12-06-2020

In this case, Plaintiff approached the Bombay High Court seeking to suspend domain names with Plaintiff’s HUL trademarks which were registered under the authority of Defendant, a domain name registrant. Even though the Court was quick to grant relief to the defendant, it opined that Domain name registrants were neither equipped nor authorized to indefinitely suspend domain names once registered, since there was no human element involved to oversee the legitimacy of domain names.

The Court ruled that deciding what should or should not be suspended (or blocked) is a serious judicial function that could be arrived at only by assessing and balancing rival merits. Moreover, the Court observed that anyone can use a VPN to bypass a proxy server or firewall and have access to such blocked websites by masking the originating country IP of the user, hence, such ‘access blocking’ only offers a hollow and faux sense of safety to the Registrant. Besides, holding the Registrar liable if he is unable to effectively block access would expose the Registrar to the constant threat of contempt proceedings.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) v. Iskon Apparel Pvt. Ltd and Ors. 2020 SCC Online Bom 729 | 26-06-2020

In a trademark infringement and passing off suit instituted against the Defendant’s use of ISKON APPAREL, the Court while restricting Defendant from using the same ruled that ISKON is a well-known mark. This was a follow-up to Plaintiff’s pleading that the trademark “ISKON” be declared a well-known trademark. Plaintiff submitted that it was the first to create the name in the year 1996 in New York and over time it has created a global presence which is inclusive of India and the brand was not restricted to only one particular good or service but was into the diverse range of goods and services. The court after scrutinizing the evidence submitted by Plaintiff ruled that the brand name “ISKON” fell under the ambit of a well-known mark under the Trademark Acts of 1999.

Louis Vuitton Malletier vs Futuretimes Technology India Pvt Ltd CS(COMM) 222/2020 | 03-07-2020

Louis Vuitton had filed a civil suit against the Defendants, an e-commerce platform named Club Factory to restrain the sale of any counterfeit goods comprising their trademark. The Plaintiff prayed that the Defendants be restrained from selling any product with Plaintiff’s trademark, including “LOUIS VUITTON”, “LV Logo”, Toile monogram pattern, Damier pattern and/or LV flower pattern, or any other similar pattern that would constitute an infringement of the Plaintiff’s registered marks. The Delhi High Court, acting on it, issued summon notice to the Defendants. We wait to see if this case takes the same route as the case of Amazon Seller Services Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. v. Amway India Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. FAO(OS) 133/2019, to base the outcome on the evidence of counterfeited products or if it holds Club Factory liable in case the Defendant fails to demonstrate the minimum standard of due diligence as required from an intermediary. 

Arudra Engineers Pvt. Ltd. v. Pathanjali Ayurved Ltd. & Anr. 2020 SCC OnLine Mad 1503 | 17-07-2020

Defendant, Patanjali, was restrained from using the word “Coronil” to market its product i.e., immunity booster tablets which Defendant claimed to have passed the test of clinical trials to cure coronavirus. The Court held that since Plaintiff had acquired registration of the trademark ‘CORONIL- 92 B’ in 1993 and had been using the same in relation to Acid inhibitor for industrial cleaning, Defendant’s action amounted to infringement under Section 29(4) of Trademarks Act, 1999. The court also opined that Patanjali’s use of the word ‘Coronil’ could deceive the consumers with respect to the likelihood of curing coronavirus through the tablet. Hence, considering the reputation of Plaintiff’s registered trademark and the larger public interest, the Court restrained Plaintiff from marketing its product under the name “Coronil”.  

Plex, Inc v. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited 2020 SCC OnLine Bom 989 | 01-10-2020

The Bombay High Court refused to grant an interim injunction as sought by Plaintiff (Plex) against ZEEPLEX, a pay-per-view service launched by Zee. The Court reasoned that Plaintiff’s case of passing off failed the trinity test since it was unable to establish any reputation, the similarity in services, and anticipated injury due to the adoption and use of ZEEPLEX, while Defendant had a long-standing reputation in India.    

Delhivery Private Ltd. v. Treasure Vase Ventures Private Ltd.  CS (COMM) 217/2020 | 12/10/2020

In an infringement suit by the logistics company “Delhivery” against the user of the mark “Deliver-E” for identical services, Delhi High Court held that Delhivery was a generic name describing the kind of service it provided i.e., delivery, and hence, it did not have the characteristics of an enforceable trademark.

Anil Rathi v. Shri Sharma Steeltech CS(COMM) 654/2019 | 23-10-2020

The Delhi High Court ruled that the use of the personal name, surname, or family name under Section 35 of Trademarks Act, 1999 was limited to personal use only and such rights did not extend to granting licenses to third parties for commercial use. In the instant case, Plaintiff had approached the Delhi High Court seeking an injunction against the use of the surname “RATHI” as a trademark by Defendant. The Court observed that there was a family arrangement in place which regulated the use of the family mark, and the act of Defendant of licensing the mark to third parties was in clear violation of the said arrangement, making Defendant liable for trademark infringement.

The PS5 Case Trademark Squatting Case: TM Opposition by Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc [Opposition No. 1040632] against TM Application PS5 [Application No. 4332863] filed in Class 28 by Hitesh Aswani

Sony’s launch of its latest edition of gaming console Play Station 5 of PS5 in India was halted when it discovered that an infamous trademark squatter named Hitesh Aswani had surreptitiously filed a trademark application for “PS5” on October 29, 2020, for the identical specification of goods that were covered under Sony’s PS4 trademark registration bearing application no. 2481440. Sony, understandably, filed an opposition against the said trademark, and the Applicant withdrew his application.

Sony filed its earliest trademark application for the mark “PS5” in Jamaica before Hitesh Aswani on October 03, 2019. Sony used the Jamaican application as the basic application to file international registration through the Madrid Protocol, claiming priority of October 03, 2019.

This was a textbook case of trademark squatting. Sony had priority over the squatter, and it is a settled position of law that priority trumps everything else as per law in India. Further, the mala fide intention of the squatter was evident from the almost verbatim replication of the specification of goods covered under Sony’s PS4 trademark registration.

This case reached its logical conclusion when Hitesh Aswani withdrew his application as well as the opposition which paved the way for Sony to register its mark in India and proceed to launch the product in India.

Sassoon Fab International Pvt Ltd. v. Sanjay Garg & Ors. [IPAB] ORA/171/2020/TM/DEL | 04-12-2020

In one of the most noteworthy cases that came up before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), the registration of the mark ‘N95’ bearing App No. 4487559 registered in Class 10 in favour of Mr. Sanjay Garg was stayed. IPAB observed that the N95 was prima facie a generic term that was used to provide the quality of the masks hence it was hit by Section 9 of the Act. Since Plaintiff had filed a rectification petition against the registration of the said mark before filing the instant petition, IPAB deemed it necessary to stay the operation of the Registration until the Rectification Application was finally decided and disposed of.     

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. & Anr vs. Amul Franchise.in & Ors CS(Comm) 350/2020

This case concerned fraudulent registration of multiple websites with the term “AMUL” as prefix/suffix. In this case, the Delhi High Court directed the Registrar of Domains to suspend/block domain names containing the term “Amul”. The Court also restrained the Registrar from the further offering for sale of such domain names so ordered to be blocked.

The Delhi High Court rejected the Registrar’s contention that due to lack of adequate technology it cannot ensure that these websites containing ‘AMUL’ therein would not be made available for sale and suggested that the Registrar could utilize the same filter it employs to ensure that websites under obscene and/or words denoting illegality are not available for sale. This decision is in stark contrast with an earlier single judge bench order of the Bombay High Court dated June 12, 2020 – Hindustan Unilever Limited v. Endurance Domains Technology LLP, 2020 SCC OnLine Bom 809, wherein it held that Domain name registrants are neither equipped nor authorized to indefinitely suspend domain names once registered, since there is no human element involved to oversee the legitimacy of domain names.

CONCLUSION

Despite the majority of the judicial pronouncements being related to COVID-19 and lockdowns, 2020 will be the year that the Trademark Authority tightened its grip on trademark squatting, a way to curb the sales of counterfeit products on e-commerce platforms. Also, the IPAB’s order to put a stay on the registration of “N95” for medical equipment and apparatus exhibited the dismal examination standards at the Trademarks Registry since the term ‘N95’ is generic to medical products and no amount of use can justify the registration. We witnessed a handful of contrasting rulings in the year 2020 and a couple of disputes are lined up to be adjudicated in the year 2021. These are a few topics that are revisited time and again to not only protect the proprietors of the registered trademarks but also make sure that no defendant is being harassed unnecessarily by registered proprietors.  

 

Image Credits: Photo by Riccardo Annandale on Unsplash

Despite the majority of the judicial pronouncements being related to COVID-19 and lockdowns, 2020 will be the year that the Trademark Authority tightened its grip on trademark squatting, a way to curb the sales of counterfeit products on e-commerce platforms. 

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