In India, the Trademark law is governed by Indian Trademark Act, 1999. Trademark is basically a sign or mark by which the trader or manufacturer or service provider distinguishes his goods or services from that of others. Trademark is like a property which is entitled to protection under law. Thus, the law which defines the right of trademark holder and which protects his rights from being infringed is Trademark law. A trademark includes a name, word, or sign that differentiates goods from the goods of other enterprises. Marketing of goods or services by the procedure becomes much easier with a trademark because recognition of product with the trademark is assured and easier. The owner can prevent the use of his mark or sign by another competitor.
Trademark is a marketing tool which increases financing of the business. A trademark is not always a brand but the brand is always is a trademark. Sometimes there is a confusion between trademark and brand. The brand name can be simply a symbol or logo but the trademark is a distinguishing sign or indicator in a business organization as it has a wider implication than brands. People are more influenced by the distinctive trademark that reflects the quality of the product. A trademark can be a logo, picture mark or a slogan.
Before 1940 there was no law on trademarks in India. A number of problems of infringement of registered and unregistered trademark arose which were resolved under Section 54 of the Specific Relief Act 1877 and registration was adjudicated under the Indian Registration Act 1908. To overcome these difficulties, the Indian Trademark law was enforced in 1940. After the enforcement of the trademark law, demand for protection of trademarks increased as there was major growth in trade and commerce. The Trademark law was replaced with the Trademark And Merchandise Act 1958. It provides better protection of trademark and prevents misuse or fraudulent use of marks on merchandise. The Act provides registration of the trademark so that the owner of the trademark may get a legal right for its exclusive use. The aim of the Trademark Act is to grant protection to the users of trademark and direct the conditions on the property and also provide legal remedies for the implementation of trademark rights.
What is the use of a trademark? Industrialization and the growth of the system of the market-oriented economy allow competing manufacturers and traders to offer consumers a variety of goods in the same category. Often without any apparent differences for the consumer they do generally differ in quality, price and other characteristics. Clearly consumers need to be given the guidance that will allow them to consider the alternatives and make their choice between the competing goods. Consequently, the goods must be named. The medium for naming goods on the market is precisely the trademark. Businesses also need trademarks to individualize their products, however, in order to reach out to consumers and communicate with them. So, trademarks serve their owners in the advertising and selling of goods, and they serve the economy in a general sense by helping to rationalize the commercialization of goods.
Registration of trademark. In general, any person who intends to use a trademark or to have it used by third parties can apply for its registration. That person can be either a natural person or a legal entity, even a holding company. The laws of some countries provide that the applicant must exercise a commercial activity involving the goods for which he requests trademark protection. The application must contain the name of the goods, mark and services, class of goods and the services in which it falls, name and address of the applicant and duration of use of the mark. Here the person means an association of firms, partnership firm, a company, trust, state government or the central government. The usage of the trademark by unauthorized means or illegal means by producing it in trading is known as trademark piracy. If there is an infringement of trademark, the owner of the registered trademark can take legal action and for an unregistered trademark. A common concept of a trademark is that the owner of a registered trademark has a more legal right for protection than the owner of unregistered trademark. In the case of a criminal proceeding, the court dictates the following punishment: Imprisonment for a period not less than six months that may extend to three years. A fine that is not less than Rs50,000 that may extend to Rs2 lakh.
Aishwarya Says:
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