Prominent Tollywood actors and influencers booked for promoting online betting apps
A case has been filed against several prominent Tollywood actors, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarakonda, Manchu Lakshmi, Praneetha, Nidhi Agarwal, and Ananya Nagella, as well as 18 others, for promoting online betting apps and encouraging people to invest their hard-earned money.
CCI raids ad-giants GroupM, Publicis, broadcasters’ group over alleged price collusion
The Indian antitrust regulator has raided the offices of many global advertising firms, including GroupM, Publicis, Dentsu and Interpublic organization, as well as a broadcasters’ industry organization, over alleged price collusion, individuals with direct information told Reuters. Officers of the Competition Commission of India inspected roughly ten places after launching a case against the agencies and prominent broadcasters for allegedly fixing ad rates and discounts.
Parliamentary Panel Recommends Unified Media Council for Print, Broadcast & Digital
The parliamentary standing committee on communications and information technology has formally recommended that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) establish a Media Council to bring various forms of media, including print, broadcast, and digital, under one umbrella body for better coordination and implementation of governing laws.
FICCI, CII and PCI members part of MIB’s blocking committee
The ministry of information and broadcasting’s content blocking and grievance redressal committee includes domain experts from the Press Council of India (PCI), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), according to a written response from minister of state for electronics and IT Jitin Prasada to the Lok Sabha . The presence of non-government members on this group is the first time the government has made this information public.
Telangana Women’s Commission to Crack Down on Obscene Dance Moves in Films
The Telangana Women’s Commission has taken serious note of vulgar and obscene dance sequences in Telugu films and music videos, stating they objectify women and negatively influence society. The commission plans to initiate strict action against filmmakers and production houses that continue to showcase such content. It has also urged the Censor Board to exercise greater scrutiny while certifying such films and scenes.
Delhi High Court declares ‘TAJ’ as a well-known trademark
The Delhi High Court recently found the “TAJ” mark and related marks, which denote the luxury hotel chain, to be well-known trademarks under the Trade Marks Act 1999. IHCL (part of the Tata group), which owns the TAJ hotel chain, claimed that the TAJ trademarks have earned unequaled recognition and goodwill over the last 120 years.
Read order here.
Delhi High Court permanently restrains infringement of Himalaya’s ‘Liv.52’ trademark and imposes costs and damages on the infringers
The Delhi High Court has granted a permanent injunction in favour of Himalaya Global Holdings Ltd, a personal care and herbal health company, against trademark infringement of its ‘Liv.52’ liver care products by producers and dealers of infringing ‘Liv-333′ items. The Court stated that the illegal use of the “LIV” element in a way that does not distinguish the defendants’ mark from the plaintiffs’ well-established “Liv.52” mark constitutes a violation of the plaintiffs’ legal rights.
Read order here
Trademark Registry accepted ‘Chutiyaram’ mark for Namkeen and biscuits company which was later withdrawn
The Delhi Trademark Office recently accepted an application to register the mark ‘CHUTIYARAM’ under Class 30 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. The mark, which appeared in the Trademark Journal, has stirred debate among intellectual property lawyers over the approval procedure and potential legal ramifications.
The examiner noted that the mark is a combination of two arbitrary words, ‘Chuti’ and ‘Ram,’ and determined that as a whole, it is distinctive and distinguishable from other marks. The order further noted that the mark has no direct reference to the applied commodities – namkeen and biscuits – hence objections under Section 9(1) were waived, resulting in its adoption.
On March 18, the Trademark Registry reversed its acceptance of the mark, alleging an error. The order indicated that the mark was subject to objections under Sections 9 and 11 of the Act, resulting in a proposed withdrawal under Section 19, with a hearing planned.
Read the response filed by the applicant here
X Corp Moves Karnataka High Court Against Alleged Unlawful Censorship by Indian Government via Sahyog Portal and IT Act
Elon Musk’s X has filed a court petition in the Karnataka High Court, claiming that the Indian government’s use of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and the Sahyog Portal constitutes an illegal and unregulated censoring mechanism that circumvents legislative safeguards. X Corp claims in the petition that authorities are using Section 79(3)(b) to impose content takedowns while avoiding the process procedures outlined in Section 69A.
Kerala High Court remarks that violence in visual media may have undesirable effect on people but has to be tested on touchstone of free speech
The Kerala High Court stated orally that representation of violence in visual media might have a negative impact on individuals; nonetheless, the amount to which it can be displayed must be determined in light of the right to free speech and expression.
Web Series Use of Tagore Song Sparks Debate Over Cultural Appropriateness
The inclusion of Tagore’s ‘Mamo chittey’ in a sequence implying lesbian bonding in a web series has divided the Bengal elite.While several musicians have condemned its use as music in ‘Dabba Cartel,’ others believe it belongs in the context of a scene illustrating the character’s hallucinations.
Star India’s complaint against piracy leads to arrests in Kerala
In a significant breakthrough in the fight against digital piracy, two people have been detained in Kerala for unlawfully streaming copyrighted content from their websites. The arrests, which took place on March 5 and 6 in Perumbavoor and Malappuram, were the outcome of a criminal complaint filed by Star India Private Limited with the Cyber Police in Kochi on December 18, last year.
TRAI has started talks with broadcasters with the aim to overhaul the regulatory system
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has begun negotiations with broadcasting industry stakeholders as part of its efforts to restructure the sector’s regulatory framework, according to sources familiar with the situation. The regulator is developing a consultation paper to conduct a comprehensive assessment of existing legislation, they added.
On Tuesday, TRAI met with television broadcasters, including representatives from the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation and the News Broadcasters and Digital Association, to discuss critical topics that would be addressed during the next consultation process.
Mariah Carey Wins Copyright Lawsuit Over Christmas Song, Lawyers Sanctioned
Mariah Carey has won a lawsuit alleging that the perennial hit All I Want For Christmas Is You infringed on the copyright of another song with the same name.
The court also imposed sanctions on the lawyers who initiated the lawsuit against Carey, alleging that they filed “frivolous” and “unsupported” charges in order to “cause unnecessary delay and increase the costs of litigation.”
Songwriter Andy Stone, who performs as Vince Vance and the Valiants, and co-writer Troy Powers filed a complaint in November 2023, alleging that Carey’s 1994 classic Christmas song ripped off their own song, All I Want For Christmas Is You, which was released in 1989 and “became a country music hit” after “extensive seasonal airplay in 1993,”
