News
Budget 2023 – Changes in Customs and GST laws
04 二月 2023
The Hon’ble Finance Minister of India presented the Union Budget 2023 as usual on 1st of February. Though the pre-budget speculation that the Union Budget would bring in some amnesty scheme for direct taxes and customs, turned out to be false, the 5th and last budget of the current government has made various significant tax proposals. Few important changes in the Customs and GST laws have been highlighted below.
Trademarks – Indirect use of misleading country of origin is ‘material respect’ in definition of ‘false trade description’, which is not registrable
23 一月 2023
While examining as to whether the mark, depicting a white cross on a red background, and the ‘SWISS MILITARY’ word mark, individually or in conjunction with each other, can be registered in India in relation to textiles, footwear, etc., in Class 25, the Delhi High Court has held that false trade descriptions are not registrable.
Computers – All in one integrated desktop computer is not portable – Classifiable under TI 8471 50 00
18 一月 2023
The Supreme Court has on 17 January 2023 held that Automatic Data Processing Machines (‘ADP’) which are popularly known as ‘AllinOne Integrated Desktop Computer’ are to be classified under Tariff Item 8471 50 00 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and not under Tariff Item 8471 30 10 ibid.
Recovery proceedings under SARFAESI Act will prevail over those under MSMED Act
10 一月 2023
The Supreme Court of India has on 5 January 2023 allowed an appeal against the decision of the Madhya Pradesh High Court which had held that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 ('MSMED Act') will prevail over Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 ('SARFAESI Act').
Sabka Vishwas (LDR) Scheme – Non-payment of settlement amount before stipulated date when not fatal
06 一月 2023
The High Court had declined to interfere in the dispute where the settlement amount under the Scheme could not be paid by the assessee before 30 June 2020
Use of trademark in form of translation or transliteration amounts to infringement
05 一月 2023
The Delhi High Court has reiterated that the use of the infringing mark in the form of a translation (same trademark but in a different language) or its transliteration, amounts to infringement. The Court in this regard observed that as per Section 29(9) of the Trade Marks Act, where the distinctive element of a registered trade mark consists of or include words, the trademark may be infringed by the spoken use of those words.
Design filing simplified – Public Notice for designs registration issued
27 十二月 2022
The Public Notice dated 16 December 2022, issued by the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs, & Trademarks, Boudhik Sampada Bhawan, Mumbai, announced the much awaited and promised adoption of complete digitized e-filing and processing of design applications by the Designs Wing of the Indian Patent Office (IPO) in order to expedite the procedure of industrial design registrations in India.
GST Council’s 48th Meeting – Highlights
17 十二月 2022
The 48th Meeting of the GST Council was held on 17 December 2022 under the chairpersonship of the Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister. Few important trade facilitation measures including important measures for streamlining compliances in GST, as recommended by the GST Council, are highlighted
Trademarks – Argument of ‘family of marks’ available only to a Plaintiff
13 十二月 2022
Quoting with approval the book McCarthy on Trademarks and Unfair Competition, the Delhi High Court has observed that the doctrine of ‘family of marks’ is an argument available only to a Plaintiff asserting its rights and not to a Defendant to prove its defence against a Plaintiff’s intervening rights.
Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022: Key Takeaways
23 十一月 2022
The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 (the “Bill”) has been proposed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on November 18, 2022 for public consultation. This was released pursuant to the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s Data Protection Bill, 2021 (“2021 Draft”) and a series of drafts following the judgment of the Supreme Court in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) v. Union of India.