INDIA


THE INDEPENDENT RIGHTS OF LYRICISTS, COMPOSERS AND SINGERS AS AUTHORS OF LITERARY AND MUSICAL WORKS IN FILMS MAY CHANGE.


Through Inttl Advocare, LG Electronics India filed a suit against a customs order that suspended LG GSM mobile phone consignments. Customs acted on a complaint that was filed by the owner of a patent for “a process of manufacturing engraved design articles on metals or non-metals”.


Customs issued ‘show cause’ notice to various companies, including LG. The mobile phone manufacturer told customs to await the outcome of a cancellation petition that it had filed, with the competent authority, challenging the patent’s validity. However, customs proceeded to examine the issue of infringement without awaiting the adjudication on patent’s validity. This led to a large number of shipments being held up at Mumbai Port.


The court stayed the patent owner’s complaint and gave a prima facie finding that, as per law, the issue of invalidity should be decided prior to an infringement issue. Therefore, customs should await a finding on validity before acting on infringement. In patent infringement cases, customs is merely an “implementing” authority and not an “adjudicating” authority.


Honest subsequent adoption and use was protected in Pernod Ricard India Pvt Ltd (PRIPL) v United Spirits Ltd (USL). PRIPL, an Indian subsidiary of Pernod Ricard Groupe, adopted the trademark Master Blend internationally in 1995 for whisky and began using it in India in 2005. PRIPL undertook a trademark search in India prior to adopting the trademark and no conflicting trademark or use was found. Its trademark application also proceeded for registration.


In 2010, USL objected to PRIPL’s use of Master Blend on the basis of its expired registration for Band Master Blend, dated April 7, 1988. USL stopped using Band Master Blend in 1994, but on seeing the success of Master Blend, it dishonestly imitated PRIPL’s Master Blend label. In an action initiated by PRIPL, the Bombay High Court


www.worldipreview.com World Intellectual Property Review e-Digest 2012 157


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