Telangana HC Orders Education Dept. To Hear Representation Against Permission For School Using Trademarked 'SPR' Name

The Telangana High Court has directed Telangana's education authorities to consider a representation seeking cancellation of permissions and recognition granted to a rival school operating under the name "SPR High School".

The petitioner contended that the name infringed his registered trademarks and was being used despite an injunction granted by a civil court.

Justice Juvvadi Sridevi was dealing with a petition filed by educationalist V. Sree Pathi Reddy. He sought consideration of his representation dated March 7, 2026, against permissions and recognition granted to the rival school.

The Court observed,

"this Court, without expressing any opinion on the merits of the rival claims, deems it appropriate to dispose of the present Writ Petition with a direction to respondent Nos.1 to 5 to consider the representation dated 07.03.2026 submitted by the petitioner."

Reddy stated that he established educational institutions under the name "SPR School of Excellence" in 2001. According to the petition, "SPR" is derived from the initials of his name, Sree Pathi Reddy.

He contended that he holds registered trademarks relating to the name. He also contended that he had requested the authorities not to grant permission to any institution proposing to use "SPR" or a deceptively similar name.

According to the order, Reddy subsequently instituted a commercial suit against the management of a rival school over its use of the name "SPR High School". The Court recorded that an ex parte ad interim injunction was granted on July 8, 2024. The injunction restrained the rival school from using the name "SPR High School" or any deceptively similar mark containing "SPR" as a prefix or suffix. The order further records that the trial court made the interim injunction absolute on August 11, 2025.

The petition alleged that despite the injunction, the School Education Department issued a memo on June 20, 2025. The memo permitted the rival school to establish a school under the name "SPR High School".

The petition further alleged that authorities subsequently permitted the school to start operations for the academic year 2025-26. Recognition for Classes VI to X was also granted for ten years, from the academic year 2025-26 to 2034-35.

The petitioner submitted several representations seeking cancellation of those permissions and recognition. These included a representation dated March 7, 2026. Since the representations had not been considered, he approached the High Court.

Disposing of the petition, the High Court directed authorities to consider the representation. The authorities must provide an opportunity of hearing to both Reddy and the rival school. They must examine the grievance in light of the material on record and the orders passed by the competent civil court.