Amul wins trademark case

The Gujarat High Court in a landmark judgement has ruled that a registered trademark user has the right to restrict others from using their trademark for different class or goods.

The court ruled that a registered trademark is infringed when a person, who, not being a registered proprietor, or a person using the trademark by way of permitted use, uses in the course of trade, a mark which is identical with, or similar to the registered trade mark, and the trademark is used in relation to goods or services which are not similar to those for which the trade mark is registered.

It further ruled that the contention of using a trademark for a long time, without valid permission, is not acceptable, as passing it off is a recurring wrong, and therefore can be prevented at any stage and at any time.

This significant judgement comes as a relief to organisations whose trademarks are regularly infringed. The problem of trademark infringements has assumed alarming proportions all over the country.

The Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd and Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) had filed trademark infringement cases against two local shop owners, Amul Chasmaghar and its partners, and Amul Cut Piece Stores in the District Court, Anand.

The District Court at Anand passed an order on 25 April 2007, ruling that it was a clear case of infringement, and restrained the two from using Amul trade mark. Amul Chasmaghar had challenged this interim injunction in the Gujarat High Court.

Upholding the ruling of the District Court, Justice DN Patel of Gujarat High Court ruled that he saw no reason to entertain the present appeal as the order passed by the trial court is true, correct, legal and in consonance with the facts of the case as well as in accordance with the provisions of the Trade Marks Act 1999.