Delhi High Court Restrains Ex-Franchisee From Using 'Moti Mahal' Marks After Termination Of Agreement

The Delhi High Court on 14 May granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction restraining Zikra Hotels and Restaurants LLP, a former franchisee of the Moti Mahal restaurant chain from running, advertising, or marketing its restaurant under the 'Moti Mahal' marks after it terminated the franchise agreement for non-payment of fees. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held: “The defendant, M/s Zikra Hotels and Restaurants LLP, had continued using the mark 'Moti Mahal Delux Tandoori Trail' despite its franchise...

Delhi High Court Protects 'Safex' Trademark, Bars Deceptively Similar Use By Seed Company

The Delhi High Court on 26 May granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction in favour of Safex Chemicals India Limited and restrained Safex Seed India LLP from using the mark “Safex” or any deceptively similar variant in relation to agricultural products. A Bench of Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that “Safex Seed” lacked distinctiveness and remained descriptive, and therefore failed to distinguish the defendant's mark from the plaintiff's registered trademark. He held: “From a simple and plain...

Gauhati High Court Holds DRC-01 Cannot Replace Statutory Show Cause Notice Under GST Act

The Gauhati High Court on 13 May held that GST authorities under the Assam GST Act cannot initiate and conclude proceedings under Section 73 solely on the basis of a Summary Show Cause Notice in Form GST DRC-01, reiterating that issuance of a proper statutory show cause notice is a mandatory precondition for raising a tax demand. Justice Manish Choudhury allowed the petition filed by Riyan Enterprises and set aside the adjudication order passed under Section 73 of the Assam GST Act for alleged...

Punjab & Haryana High Court Rules PLC Not Separately Taxable, Sets Aside DLF Advance Ruling Orders

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on 13 May held that Preferential Location Charges (PLC) collected by developers for offering a preferred location within a housing project form part of the composite construction service and cannot attract separate taxation. A Division Bench of Justices Deepak Sibal and Lapita Banerji allowed a writ petition filed by DLF Limited and quashed the Advance Ruling Authority order dated 28 August 2020 and the Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling order dated 28...

Kerala High Court Reserves Verdict On CMRL's Appeal Challenging ED Probe, Orders Status Quo Till June 5

The Kerala High Court on Monday reserved judgment on an appeal filed by Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) challenging Enforcement Directorate summons issued in a money laundering probe linked to payments allegedly made to Exalogic Solutions Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Veena Vijayan, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.The Court directed the ED to maintain the status quo and not precipitate any proceedings against the appellants until June 5, when it is scheduled to...

Arbitrator's Plausible Reading Of Ambiguous Contract Clause Not Ground To Set Aside Award: Rajasthan HC

The Rajasthan High Court has held that where a contract contains an ambiguous term and the arbitrator adopts a plausible interpretation of that term, such interpretation does not amount to misconduct under Section 30 of the Arbitration Act, 1940. Justice Sandeep Shah upheld an arbitral award passed nearly two decades ago against the Union of India (UOI) in a dispute arising from fencing work along the Indo-Pak border and affirmed the arbitral award as well as the order of the District Judge,...

BOT Concessionaire Liable To Pay GST On Toll Rights Received As Consideration: Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court on 22 May held that toll collection rights granted under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) concession agreement constitute consideration for taxable works contract services and are not exempt from GST merely because toll collection itself enjoys exemption. A Division Bench of Justices Arun Monga and Sandeep Shah dismissed a writ petition filed by CG Tollway Ltd challenging orders of the GST authorities that had demanded Rs. 16.36 GST, interest and penalty on services...

Delhi High Court Restrains Breakaway Karan Satsang Group From Portraying HDH Bapji As Its Founder

The Delhi High Court has restrained a breakaway organisation formed by former members of Shree Swaminarayan Sarvopari Siddhant Digvijay Trust from using the trademark "Karan Satsang" and portraying the Trust's founder, His Divine Holiness Devnandandasji Swami (HDH Bapji), as its own founder. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed the ex-parte ad-interim order on May 26 in a suit filed by the Trust against Sukhmay Karan Satsang Foundation and its office-bearers. The Trust stated that former trustees...

Delhi High Court Temporarily Restrains Use Of 'Elitecourt' Mark In Passing Off Dispute With Glossy Color

The Delhi High Court has restrained a firm operating under the mark 'Elitecourt' from manufacturing, selling, or advertising products under that brand, holding that Glossy Color and Paints Pvt. Ltd. had made out a prima facie case of passing off. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela declined to grant relief on the allegation of trademark infringement, noting that 'Elitecourt' is itself a registered trademark. The plaintiffs have already moved the High Court seeking cancellation of that registration. The...

Delhi HIgh Court Orders Scientico To Remove Alfa Therm's Photographs From Website, IndiaMart Listings

The Delhi High Court has directed Scientico to remove from its website, IndiaMart listings and other online platforms photographs that waste management systems manufacturer Alfa Therm Limited alleged had been copied from its website without authorisation. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela granted interim protection to Alfa Therm after prima facie finding that photographs displayed on Scientico's website were identical to photographs that had earlier appeared on Alfa Therm's website. "the defendant who...

Arbitrator Appointment By Agreed Arbitral Institution Cannot Be Treated As Unilateral: Rajasthan High Court

The Rajasthan High Court has recently affirmed that the appointment of an arbitrator by an arbitral institution agreed upon by the parties cannot, by itself, be treated as a unilateral appointment, while setting aside orders that had refused to execute an arbitral award obtained by Sundaram Finance Ltd.A single bench of Justice Bipin Gupta relied on recent judgments of the Madras High Court and the Kerala High Court. The court unequivocally held that MCCI was mutually agreed upon by the parties,...

Telangana School Agrees To Drop 'Vasant Valley' Name In Trademark Suit Filed By Delhi School

The Delhi High Court has decreed a trademark suit filed by Education Today, which runs Vasant Valley School in New Delhi. The decree came after a Telangana-based school agreed under a settlement to change its name by June 30, 2026, remove the registered mark "Vasant Valley" from its name, and stop using the mark or any deceptively similar mark. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela disposed of the suit in terms of a settlement agreement dated May 12, 2026. Under the agreement, Vasant Valley Concept School,...