In a guest post, Shalini Bhutani argues that the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Act 2001 is likely to have a detrimental impact on the well being of farmers. She highlights the recent string of lawsuits filed by PepsiCo India, asserting breeder rights in varieties of potatoes against farmers in Gujarat, to caution that the pro-farmer aspects of the legislation could be in serious threat.
SpicyIP Events
Pankhuri informed us of the 2019 WIPO-UNIGE Summer School that will be conducted in Geneva from June 24 to July 5, 2019. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2019.
Other Developments
Indian
Judgments
Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Limited v. JK Lakshmi Cement Limited and Another – Delhi High Court [April 15, 2019]
The Court granted a permanent injunction restraining the Defendant from infringing and passing off the Plaintiff’s mark “CONCRETO” by using a deceptively similar mark “CONCRETA” for the sale of cement and other building materials. In arriving at this decision, the Court noted that the Plaintiff was the registered proprietor of the mark “CONCRETO”, and the Defendant’s use of a visually and phonetically similar mark to the Plaintiff’s mark would constitute infringement. It was further observed by the Court that the Defendant, being in the same trade as the Plaintiff should have been aware of its registered mark. The Court also dismissed the Defendant’s argument that its product was a different cement product, by stating that the registration of the Defendant’s mark was aimed at “cement” and not any special variety of the same.
News
- Comedian Kunal Kamra Could be Sued By BSE for Photoshopping Picture of Iconic Building
- Delhi HC Restrains Justdial From Using PVR Trademark On Its Platform, Observes Prima Facie Case Of Infringement
- LG patent hints at a smartphone with triple front camera setup
- Local pharma companies to challenge MNCs in pneumonia vaccine space
- Gujarat: 3 companies restrained from launching diabetes medicine
- Chennai: NGO to bring novel eye care for poor
International