High Court
Delhi High Court Refers 'BRO CODE' Trademark Dispute Between Indospirit and Ravi Mohan's Studio To Mediation
The Delhi High Court on Thursday referred a trademark infringement dispute between Indospirit Beverages Private Limited and actor Ravi Mohan's production house over the use of the title “BRO CODE” for an upcoming Tamil film to mediation before the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre.Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed the order on January 15, 2026, while hearing the matter arising from Indospirit's suit alleging infringement and passing off of its “BROCODE” trademark through the...
GST Proceedings Cannot Be Initiated Against Deceased Proprietor: Andhra Pradesh High Court Reiterates
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has recently reiterated that GST authorities cannot initiate assessment or adjudication proceedings in the name of a deceased proprietor, even where the tax demand relates to a period when the business was active. A Division Bench of Justice R. Raghunandan Rao and Justice T.C.D. Sekhar clarified that Section 93 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, a provision that allows recovery of tax payable by deceased persons, does not authorise the initiation of fresh...
Andhra Pradesh High Court Holds Solar Power EPC Contract Eligible for 8.9% GST, Quashes 18% Demand
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has recently ruled that contracts for setting up solar power generating systems cannot be taxed at 18% GST merely because they involve erection and commissioning work. Holding that such contracts are covered by a concessional GST notification, the court said tax must be levied at an effective rate of 8.9% and set aside a higher assessment raised by GST authorities. A division bench of Justices R. Raghunandan Rao and T.C.D. Sekhar said the benefit of the...
Delhi High Court Continues Ad-Hoc License Fee Arrangement In PPL Copyright Infringement Suit Against Hospitality Company
The Delhi High Court has directed the continuation of an ad-hoc licence fee arrangement in a copyright infringement suit filed by copyright society Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) against Pass Code Hospitality Private Limited, a Delhi-based company that owns and operates various well-known high-profile pubs and bars.The order was passed by Justice Tejas Karia on January 9, 2026, while considering applications relating to continuation of interim licence fee deposits and a plea seeking...
Madras High Court Upholds Grant Of Virtual Agent Patent To US Company, Dismisses Flipkart's Challenge
The Madras High Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Patent Office's rejection of Flipkart's post-grant opposition, allowing a US company's patent on virtual agents used in online customer interactions to continue.In an order dated January 5, 2026, Justice N. Senthilkumar refused to interfere with the decision of the Patent Office, which had dismissed Flipkart's post-grant opposition and allowed the patent titled “Systems and Methods for Virtual Agents to Help Customers and Business” to...
Unconditional Bank Guarantee Can Be Invoked Despite Contract Termination Dispute: Delhi High Court Reiterates
The Delhi High Court has reiterated that an unconditional performance bank guarantee can be invoked even if the contractor disputes the legality of the contract's termination, an issue the court said must be decided in arbitration.A single-judge bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh relied on precedents set by the apex court to hold that it cannot go into such questions while deciding a petition under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. The Court clarified that it cannot go into the...
Delhi High Court Lifts Injunction On 'Cheetal' Rice Trademark, Rules No Infringement Of 'Double Deer' Mark
The Delhi High Court has set aside an interim injunction restraining Bhole Nath Foods Ltd., a Delhi-based rice manufacturer, from using the “CHEETAL” word and device marks, holding that no prima facie case of trademark infringement or passing off was made out in favour of Kirorimal Kashiram Marketing and Agencies Pvt. Ltd., the Chennai-based owner of the “DOUBLE DEER” mark for rice products.A Division Bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla, by a judgment dated January 9,...
Delhi High Court Restrains “Charcha Aaj Ki” From Using Deceptively Similar Aaj Tak Device Mark
The Delhi High Court has granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction in favour of Living Media India Limited, the company behind the Hindi news channel AAJ TAK. The Court restrained a digital news platform operating under the name “Charcha Aaj Ki” from using a device mark and colour combination found to be deceptively similar to the “AAJ TAK” trademark. In an order dated January 9, 2026, Justice Jyoti Singh held that Living Media had made out a prima facie case. The court directed that the...
Differential GST On Pre-GST Works Contracts To Be Reimbursed By State Agencies: Karnataka High Court
The Karnataka High Court ruled that the additional GST liability arising out of the shift from the pre-GST VAT (Value Added Tax) regime to the GST regime in ongoing works contracts cannot be imposed on contractors.The bench consists of Justice M Nagaprasanna, who directed the State Departments and government agencies to reimburse the differential GST to contractors.All the contracts were awarded prior to July 2017 under the KVAT regime, where the contract rates factored in VAT and...