The Department for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade are in the process of amending the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. A public notice inviting comments and suggestions via email to ak.gupta38@nic.in and ipr4-dipp@nic.in from interested stakeholders on proposed modifications to the Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999 was published on September 27, 2024. The deadline for submitting comments and suggestions is October 10, 2024.

The public notice can be found here.

Following the Delhi High Court’s Order in Saurav Chaudhary v. Union of India, the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs, and Trademarks (CGPDTM) has set up an Ad-Hoc committee, which will address complaints against Patent and Trademark Agents, until an official ‘Code of Conduct’ governing their practices is introduced. Any complaints against Patent Agents or Trademark Agents may be forwarded to the office of CGPDTM at llc-ipo@gov.in.

The notice can be accessed here.

The Supreme Court will address the issue of Right to be Forgotten on September 10, 2024 as it continues to hear a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Indian Kanoon. Indian Kanoon has challenged a Madras High Court decision that had ordered it to remove the copy of the Judgment which disclosed the identity of a person acquitted in a sexual assault case. The Petitioners contended that the decisions of various High Courts on the issue were at loggerheads, to which, the CJI agreed and asserted that the apex court will have to settle the law.

The report is accessible here.

The Office of the CGPDTM is inviting stakeholders to join a public meeting scheduled on 2024 on July 29, 2024, at 4:30 PM IST. In this meeting, the Patent Fraternity will be discussing the requirements of “statement regarding the working of patented invention on commercial scale in India” made through Form-27 under the Patents Amendment Rules, 2024. This is a welcomed step and a chance to voice your thoughts and shape the future of patent regulations in India.

The report is accessible here.

The Karnataka High Court released a notification on June 20, 2024, forming a sub-committee to draft rules for establishing an IP division in the High Court. The sub-committee comprises of the Judicial Registrar of the Karnataka High Court (Mr. E. Rajeeva Gowda) and Dr. Arul Scaria (Associate Professor, NLSIU). Karnataka High Court now becomes the third High Court, following Delhi and Madras High Courts, to form a dedicated IP division in the country.

The report is accessible here.