Design

The registrability of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) has had a chequered past in India. This post discusses latest developments in this matter, including the fallout of a 2023 Calcutta High Court asking the Designs Office to reconsider an order rejecting the application for registering a GUI design. ......

WIPO members, including India, recently signed a new Design Law Treaty at Riyadh, which harmonises design protection processes globally, and introduces a standardised framework for design registration. This note discusses key provisions of the treaty and its implications for the future of Indian design law. ......

The Bombay High Court recently held that visual appeal is the ultimate test of a valid design, and that combining old integers into a form that creates a different visual appeal than its parts is also capable of qualifying as a design that is new and original. ......

In a major change for the registration of designs in India, articles will now be classified in accordance with the Locarno system, further to India’s formal accession to the international treaty in mid-2019. Applicants will benefit hugely from this, as they will now have access to a single classification system in India and other countries that are parties to the treaty....

The Government of India recently announced draft amendments to the Design Rules and Patent Rules with the primary objective of encouraging startups and small entities to protect their intellectual property. The proposed changes include new definitions of “startups” in the design rules (to align with corresponding changes on the patents and trademarks side), and significantly reduced filing and prosecution fees for startups and small entities. ...

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are key drivers of economic growth, and the Government of India has been especially cognizant of their demands and concerns, by supporting and encouraging startups and MSMEs through various schemes and incentives introduced from time to time. ...

A Special Bench of five judges of the Delhi High Court has held that had a composite suit in relation to the infringement of a registered design and passing off, where the parties are the same, is maintainable in a court of law. ...

The question of granting temporary injunctions is always a knotty one, and requires establishing whether the injunction-seeker has a prima facie case, whether the balance of convenience lies in their favour, and if the temporary injunction is not granted, that the they would suffer irreparable loss or injury. The challenge before a court is to determine which facts must be considered when assessing the request for such an injunction. ...

Can the Controller of Designs refuse to register a design for lacking novelty after the applicant deletes some representations of the design on the recommendation of the examiner? A recent decision of the Calcutta High Court points out that an examination report only facilitates the controller’s final decision, and concludes that a design application can be refused registration even after it is amended. The decision also clarifies the role of the examiner and controller in the design registration process....