The Supreme Court has admitted an appeal wherein it will examine whether educational institutions and universities would be subject to Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The appeal was filed by the students of Vinayaka Mission University, Salem against the decision of National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), wherein it was held that educational institutions didn’t impart services, and accordingly were not covered under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
Category: News & Updates
The Digital News Publishers Association issues Code of Ethics for its members
The Digital News Publishers Association has voluntarily drawn up and issued a Code of Ethics for its members on October 17, 2020. The Code places special focus on the intellectual property rights and states that if content is found to be infringing intellectual property, such content should be edited, deleted or take down if necessary.
Source: https://images.bhaskarassets.com/web2images/521/2020/10/code-of-ethics-for-digital-news-websites_1603016989.pdf
IPAB notification for the parties who have reached mutual settlement
The IPAB has, vide Public Notice dated October 23, 2020, requested parties who have reached settlement, or wish to withdraw the appeal/application, to file miscellaneous petition.
Source: https://www.ipab.gov.in/public_notice/Notification-No-01-2020.pdf
Sony resolves trademark dispute over ‘PS5’ ahead of Playstation 5 launch in India
Sony’s efforts to secure a trademark registration for ‘PS5’, the abbreviation of its upcoming gaming console PlayStation 5, had been held up owing to a pre-existing trademark application. Both Sony and the third party (Hitesh Aswani) had opposed each other’s trademark applications. However, Hitesh Aswani has now withdrawn his trademark application as well as his opposition against Sony’s ‘PS5’ application. With this, it seems that the dispute has been resolved, clearing the path for Sony to launch the much-anticipated PlayStation 5 in India.
Source: https://ipindiaonline.gov.in/eregister/eregister.aspx, https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/sonys-ps5-trademark-dispute-in-india-resolved/article32963847.ece
WIPO adds India’s data to its Global Databases
The World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) has added India’s national collection of over 2 million Trademark records and over 58,000 Design records to the WIPO Global Brand Database and WIPO Global Design Database, respectively. This addition takes the total number of national/regional collections whose data is now freely available in the Global Brand Database to 64 and the Global Design Database to 31.
Source: https://www.wipo.int/reference/en/branddb/news/2020/news_0010.html; https://www.wipo.int/reference/en/designdb/news/2020/news_0009.html