Search Indian IP Case Law
Judgments of the Supreme Court and the High Courts on patents, trade marks, copyright, designs and geographical indications — organised by Act and section, each with a link to the judgment on the court’s website.
Recently added judgments
Case notes prepared by the Ragulika IP team, each linked to the judgment on the court’s website.
Ferid Allani v. Union of India & Ors.
Section 3(k) of the Patents Act, 1970 excludes only computer programmes per se from patentability, and not inventions implemented through a computer programme which demonstrate a technical effect or technical contribution to the s…
Computer Related InventionsPatentable Subject MatterSection 3(k)Software PatentPatentsFMC Corporation & Ors. v. Natco Pharma Limited
In a quia timet action under Sections 48 and 108 concerning a soon-to-expire patent, where the defendant has raised a substantial, non-frivolous challenge to validity through a pending revocation petition and has already commenced…
Interim InjunctionNoveltyPatent InfringementPrior ArtTrade MarksGodfrey Phillips India Ltd. v. Girnar Food & Beverages (P) Ltd.
A trade mark that is otherwise descriptive or laudatory of the goods is not, for that reason alone, incapable of protection in a passing off action; if the mark has, through long and extensive use, acquired a secondary meaning ide…
Descriptive MarksDistinctivenessGeneric MarksPassing OffTrade MarksHamdard National Foundation (India) & Anr. v. Sadar Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.
While composite trade marks must be compared as a whole under the anti-dissection rule, it is permissible to examine a dominant or significant common element in determining the overall commercial impression, and a composite mark m…
Anti-Dissection RuleComposite MarksDeceptive SimilarityTrade DressTrade MarksHavells India Limited & Anr. v. Havai Home Products Pvt. Ltd. & Ors.
Even a registered proprietor may be restrained from using a trade mark where the ingredients of passing off are established. Section 27(2) preserves the common-law remedy of passing off notwithstanding the statutory rights arising…
Anti-Dissection RuleDeceptive SimilarityDishonest AdoptionPassing OffTrade MarksHavells India Ltd. & Anr. v. Amritanshu Khaitan & Ors.
In comparative advertising, a trader may compare one or more material, relevant and verifiable features of its product with a competitor's, including price, without being obliged to disclose every attribute of the rival's goods; f…
Comparative AdvertisingDisparagementHonest PracticesSection 29(8)OtherICC Development (International) Ltd. v. Arvee Enterprises & Anr.
The right of publicity is derived from the right of privacy and vests exclusively in a living individual and the indicia of that individual's personality, such as name, likeness, voice and signature. Publicity or personality right…
Ambush MarketingFalse EndorsementPassing OffPersonality RightsCopyrightIndian Performing Right Society Ltd. v. Eastern India Motion Pictures Association & Ors.
Where music or lyrics are composed for a cinematograph film by an engaged composer or lyricist for valuable consideration, the film producer becomes the first owner of copyright in that contribution under Section 17 and thereby ac…
Assignment And LicensingCinematograph FilmCopyright SocietyFirst OwnershipTrade MarksIndustria De Diseno Textil, S.A. v. Registrar of Trade Marks & Anr.
Section 11(2) does not require an earlier mark to have a formal declaration of well-known status before its owner can oppose a later mark; the provision only requires that the mark is well known. The term 'entitled' in Explanation…
Anti-Dissection RuleBad FaithDeceptive SimilarityPhonetic SimilarityPatentsInterDigital Technology Corporation & Ors. v. Xiaomi Corporation & Ors.
An Indian court may grant an anti-enforcement or anti-anti-suit injunction restraining a party from giving effect to a foreign anti-suit order that seeks to prevent litigation of patent infringement claims properly within the Indi…
Anti-Anti-Suit InjunctionComity Of CourtsCross-Border LitigationFRANDBrowse by Act and section
Every case is linked to the statutory provisions it interprets.