Supreme Court Refuses To Stay Delhi HC Order Restraining Kent RO From Using KENT Mark For Fans

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court's interim order restraining Kent RO Systems from manufacturing and selling fans under the 'KENT' mark while permitting Kent Cables Pvt. Ltd. to continue using the mark for fans.

The dispute arises from cross-suits between the parties over use of the 'KENT' mark for fans. The Delhi High Court had held that Kent Cables was the prior adopter of the mark for electrical goods and had prima facie established use of the mark for fans since 2009, whereas Kent RO had not used the mark for fans despite being aware of the respondent's business for years.

A bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran, after hearing the parties, declined to interfere with the Delhi High Court's March 11, 2026 order restraining Kent RO Systems from manufacturing and selling fans under the 'KENT' mark during the pendency of the trademark suit.

Opening the case, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi submitted that Kent RO was a well known brand with registrations across several product categories and contended that the High Court had erroneously confined its rights to oil meters. "I am a well-known mark. How can it only be for this?", he submitted.

He further argued that Kent RO manufactured numerous products and was wrongly prevented from entering the fan segment.

"I make a large number of things, not only one. I make 100 things. He has got an injunction against me.", Rohatgi said.

The bench however, repeatedly questioned Kent RO's claim in light of Kent Cables' existing business in fans. "He is into business of manufacturing fans past how many years?", Justice pardiwala questioned.

When Rohatgi maintained that Kent Cables had been manufacturing fans only for three to four years, the bench observed:

"If he is in business past two decades, and you are now trying to get into it, you have been rightly injuncted."

Rohatgi also challenged the High Court's finding that Kent RO did not possess trademark registration for fans, arguing that trademark law did not require separate registration for every product. Referring to the impugned judgment, the bench pointed out that Kent RO's registrations under Class 11 related to water purifiers and allied goods and not fans.

"As far as Class 11 is concerned, the registration is specifically for water purifiers... there is no registration obtained by the appellants for fans.", Rohatgi said.

Appearing for Kent Cables, Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta supported the High Court's reasoning and submitted that the respondent had established prior adoption and continuous use of the 'KENT' mark for fans, while Kent RO had neither obtained registration for fans nor used the mark in relation to that product.

Finding no reason to interfere with the discretionary interim order passed by the Delhi High Court, the Supreme Court declined to entertain Kent RO's challenge.