Calcutta HC Questions GST Officer's Demand For Personal Appearance When Law Allows Representation Through Counsel

The Calcutta High Court said GST authorities had no basis to insist that a Kanpur-based proprietor appear in person in proceedings over the detention of goods supplied to Maa Kali Traders, especially when the law allows representation through an authorised representative. In an order dated April 7, 2026, Justice Kausik Chanda disposed of a writ petition arising from the detention of a consignment of pan masala and the vehicle carrying it, which had been intercepted while in transit. The Court...

Bombay High Court Upholds Refusal Of Interim Injunction Io Laser Shaving In SETMAX Blades Trademark Dispute

The Bombay High Court has recently declined to step in against a Single Judge's refusal to grant interim relief to Laser Shaving India Pvt Ltd in its dispute over the “SETMAX” mark, noting that the company had suppressed key facts and taken inconsistent positions. In a judgment delivered on April 6, 2026, a Division Bench of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande said there was no reason to disturb the Single Judge's exercise of discretion. The court pointed out that the...

Karnataka HC Allows Arbitration Plea Filed By Retired Partner As It Was Not Filed As Partner Of Unregistered Firm

The Karnataka High Court has held that, in the facts of the case, a retired partner can seek to refer a dispute to arbitration to defend himself in a recovery suit, and such a plea cannot be rejected merely because the partnership firm was not registered. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha was considering an appeal challenging an order of the Commercial Court, which had refused to refer the parties to arbitration under Section 8 of the Arbitration...

Interest On Funds Linked To Business Setup Not Taxable As 'Other Income': Delhi HC In VNG Automotive Case

The Delhi High Court has recently held that interest earned by VNG Automotive Pvt. Ltd. on funds earmarked for setting up its manufacturing unit cannot be taxed as “income from other sources”, finding that the funds were not surplus but were directly linked to project obligations. The Division Bench of Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice Vinod Kumar said: “We find that the funds in the present case were not lying as surplus but the same were earmarked to facilitate the balance payment for...

Provision For Termination Of Arbitrator's Mandate Cannot Be Used To Challenge His Appointment: Telangana High Court

The Telangana High Court has recently held that Section 14 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (provision for termination of an arbitrator's mandate) is a narrow provision and cannot be used to indirectly challenge the validity of an arbitrator's appointment once that issue has attained finality. Justice K. Lakshman dismissed an application filed by Galore Infratech Pvt. Ltd. under Sections 14, 15 and 11 of the Act. The company had sought termination of the arbitrator's mandate and...

Actor Vijay Appeals Single-Bench Ruling Of Madras High Court Upholding ₹1.5 Crore Income Tax Penalty

Actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay has moved a Division Bench of the Madras High Court against a single-judge ruling that upheld a ₹1.5 crore income tax penalty imposed on him.The appeal, filed last month, is yet to be listed for hearing.The challenge is to a judgment by Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, who had dismissed Vijay's writ petition and upheld the penalty linked to alleged undisclosed income of Rs 15 crore for the financial year 2015–16.The single judge held that the penalty order...

Delhi High Court Cancels 'SOCIAL HOUSE' Mark For Non-Use; 'SOCIAL' Not Generic In Hospitality

Holding that the mark “SOCIAL” is not generic in the hospitality industry and that the rival mark had not been used for restaurant services, the Delhi High Court has ordered the removal of “SOCIAL HOUSE” from the register of trade marks. Impressario Entertainment and Hospitality Pvt. Ltd., which operates the “SOCIAL” chain of restaurants and cafes, approached the Delhi High Court seeking removal of the mark registered in the name of Vardhaman Choksi, arguing that it had not been used for...

Bombay High Court Rejects Bholaa Maker's Plea That Suit Concerning 'Kaithi' Remake Is Triable Only In Chennai

The Bombay High Court has recently declined to return the plaint in a copyright dispute over the Hindi remake of the Tamil film “Kaithi,” holding that the suit can proceed before courts in Mumbai. By an order pronounced on April 10, 2026, Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh rejected a plea by Reliance Entertainment Studios Private Limited seeking to have the plaint sent back for presentation before courts in Chennai. At the heart of the dispute was where the case should be heard. Reliance pointed to...

Delhi High Court To Pass Order Protecting Crocs' Designs, Trademarks and Patent Over Jibbitz Charms

The Delhi High Court on Monday indicated that it will pass ad-interim relief orders in an infringement suit filed by Crocs Inc. against Summersalt Lifestyle Private Limited. Crocs Inc. alleged that the defendant has copied its three registered designs and two trademarks and infringed one patent, while also engaging in passing off. During the hearing before Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, Crocs submitted that the defendant has replicated a range of its footwear products and placed on record...

Gujarat High Court Seeks Affidavit From Centre Over Failure To Make ITR Utilities Available By April 1

The Gujarat High Court recently directed the Union government to file an affidavit in a writ petition filed by the Chartered Accountants Association, Surat, and others, alleging continued non-compliance with its 2015 directions on the timely availability of income tax return e-filing utilities. A Division Bench of Justice A.S. Supehia and Justice Pranav Trivedi noted that despite its earlier ruling in All Gujarat Federation of Tax Consultants v. CBDT, the respondent Department had not followed...

Delhi High Court Temporarily Bars 'Babu Ji DUKK' Mark, Finds It Similar To Dux Naturals' 'DUX DARLING'

The Delhi High Court has temporarily restrained Babu G Store and Co. from using the mark “Babu ji DUKK Darling” or any deceptively similar trademark, label, packaging, or trade dress for cosmetic products in a suit filed by Dux Naturals. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the defendants' mark and overall packaging closely mirrored Dux Naturals' registered “DUX DARLING” brand. The way the logo was positioned at the centre, along with the styling and design, was such that an average buyer...

Bombay High Court Restores Interim Injunction Against 'ESIRAFT', Finds Similarity With Sun Pharma's 'RACIRAFT'

The Bombay High Court has restored an interim injunction restraining Meghmani Lifesciences Ltd. from using the trademark “ESIRAFT”, finding it too similar to Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.'s drug brand “RACIRAFT”. A Division Bench of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Manjusha Deshpande, in its April 8, 2026 order, allowed Sun Pharma's appeal and set aside a single judge's December 23, 2025 decision that had refused interim relief. The court held that the rival marks were deceptively...