Case Laws

Curated judicial decisions shaping Indian patent trademark and copyright law. This section analysis landmark and recent judgements with Doctrinal clarity and practical perspective

Bata India Limited vs. Pyare Lal & Co., Meerut City & Ors.

Allahabad High Court | January 23, 1985 | AIR 1985 All 242 A. Banerji, J. Background Bata India Limited is one of India’s most iconic commercial names, having been associated with the manufacture and sale of footwear and related products since before the enactment of the Trade Marks Act, 1940. The name “Bata” derives from […]

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Nippon Steel Corporation v. Union of India

Delhi High Court | Decided: 8 February 2011 W.P. (C) No. 801 of 2011 Bench: Justice S. Muralidhar Background Nippon Steel Corporation, a Japanese corporation with world-class technology in the field of medium-high grade steel, was engaged in intensive research and development in steelmaking and related engineering. On 9 February 2007, Nippon Steel filed an

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The Chancellor, Masters & Scholars of the University of Oxford v. Narendera Publishing House & Ors.

Delhi High Court | CS(OS) 1656/2005 | 17 September 2008 | S. Ravindra Bhat, J. Background The plaintiff, the University of Oxford – one of the world’s most recognized academic publishers – had been publishing educational books in India since 1912. In collaboration with the Jammu & Kashmir State Board of School Education and pursuant

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Garware Wall Ropes Ltd. v. A.I. Chopra & Anr.

Bombay High Court | Decided: 19 December 2007 Bench: Justice A.H. Joshi Citation: (2008) 3 MLJ 599 Background Garware-Wall Ropes Ltd., the plaintiff-appellant, was the registered holder of two patents – “GSWR” and “Spiral Lock Systems” bearing Patent Nos. 196240 and 201177 respectively – relating to rope and wire systems used in infrastructure projects. The

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India TV Independent News Service v. Yashraj Films

Delhi High Court (Division Bench) | FAO(OS) 583/2011 & 584/2011 | 21 August 2012 | Pradeep Nandrajog & Manmohan Singh, JJ. Background Yashraj Films Pvt. Ltd., the respondent, held copyright in the sound recordings and cinematographic films of several commercially successful Bollywood productions, including Bunty Aur Babli, Nayak, Lagaan, Aks, Main Hoon Na, Salam Namaste,

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Kirloskar Diesel Recon Pvt. Ltd. & Ors. vs. Kirloskar Proprietary Ltd. & Ors.

Bombay High Court | October 10, 1995 | Appeal from Order Nos. 1152, 1153 & 1154 of 1994 AIR 1996 Bom 149 Background The Kirloskar Group of Companies is one of India’s most storied industrial conglomerates, tracing its origins to 1888 when Laxmanrao Kashinath Kirloskar began a bicycle repair business in Belgaum. By 1920, the

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Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation v. Sohail Maklai Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. & Anr.

Bombay High Court | Notice of Motion No. 2847 of 2010 | 14 October 2010 | Smt. Roshan Dalvi, J. Background Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, the plaintiff, held copyright in the script and screenplay of its 2002 Hollywood film Phone Booth. The copyright was originally authored by Larry Cohen and assigned to the plaintiff

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Ruston & Hornsby Ltd. v. The Zamindara Engineering Co.

Supreme Court of India | September 8, 1969 | Civil Appeal No. 1274 of 1966 V. Ramaswami & J.C. Shah, JJ. Background Ruston & Hornsby Ltd., a company incorporated in England with its registered office at Lincoln, is engaged in the manufacture and sale of diesel internal combustion engines and their parts. Its Indian subsidiary,

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