Author name: Mathews P. George

Mathews is a graduate of West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata. He pursued LLM in 'IP and Competition Law' from the Munich Intellectual Property Law Centre (a joint collaboration of Max Plank Institute for Innovation and Competition, University of Augsburg, Technical University of Munich and George Washington University, Washington). His areas of practice include Technology Law in general (IPR, Competition Law, Data Protection Law etc) Corporate Law, Contract Law and Public Law (Constitutional Law and Criminal Law). He practises law and policy at both national and international levels. Presently, he is in Kerala. In addition to litigation before various courts in Kerala, he is also involved in various national and international policy and academic initiatives.

Tidbit: Delhi HC on appointment of Chairman of Copyright Board

/ By / Copyright

Delhi HC, vide a recent Order dated 11 February 2016, directed the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MoHRD, to “ensure that the Chairman of the Copyright Board is appointed within a period of twelve weeks.” Further, “In the event, the appointment process is not completed within the stipulated period, the Secretary, Department of Higher Education, MoHRD shall be personally present in Court on the next date of hearing.” [For the  background, see this and this.] Significantly, the Court observed that […]

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Madras HC on Basmati row

/ By / Geographical Indication

I posted on the above mentioned topic here. After perusing the concerned Orders passed by the High Court, I have now decided to pen down my views.  The Orders are available here and here. Please read [this, this, this and that] for background. As to make it easy for readers, I shall reproduce some of the main points of Orders of both AR and IPAB from here. Order of AR (31 December 2013): “Popular perception” has no statutory sanction as a

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SpicyIP Tidbit: Madras High Court on IPAB Order in Basmati row

/ By / Geographical Indication

SpicyIP has recently carried a guest post on the recent IPAB Order in Basmati row which went in favour of APEDA. As per Times of India, on a writ petition filed by Madhya Pradesh against the aforesaid IPAB Order, the Madras High Court passed the following orders: “Till a decision in the writ petition (is taken) no precipitative action will be taken by APEDA in respect of the produce (basmati rice) from Madhya Pradesh in respect of existing areas where

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Guest Post: An insider’s account of the Basmati row

/ By / Geographical Indication

[*Long Post] I am glad to introduce you all to a post written by Rajendra Kumar, Latha Nair, Ashish Kanta Singh and R. Rajalakshmi of KNS Partners, a leading IP boutique firm in India. While Rajendra Kumar, Latha Nair and Ashish Kanta Singh are partners, R. Rajalakshmi is a senior associate at the firm. KNS Partners appeared for APEDA. Latha R. Nair had written various guest posts for us in the past. Some of them can be found here, here,

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Extension of Deadline to 31 January 2016: IUCIPRS Justice Rajagopala Ayyangar Summer Fellowship

/ By / Others

Inter University Centre for Intellectual Property Rights Studies (IUCIPRS), CUSAT is offering Two Summer Fellowships under ‘IUCIPRS Justice Rajagopala Ayyangar Summer Fellowship’ program during the period April – June 2016. IUCIPRS has instituted this Fellowship to encourage teachers interested in IP research in India to spend minimum of two months during summer (April to June) at IUCIPRS undertaking research work in IP. Eligibility: Applicants shall be a teacher in any University/College in India for less than 10 years. Preference shall be

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Trademarks Registry Official among three convicted in graft case

/ By / Trademark

Three persons, including a former Deputy Registrar of Trade Marks Registry, were recently convicted by the CBI Court in a corruption case. The Anti Corruption Branch of CBI had registered a case in 2011 against ND Kasturi, the then Deputy Registrar, Trade Marks Registry, Chennai, for allegedly accepting illegal gratification. [For Indiatoday report, see here.] We had earlier covered her arrest in 2011 here  and here. For the benefit of readers, I am reproducing excerpts: “……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….Mrs. Kasturi was arrested for possessing

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Three Indians Make it to MIP’s List of 50 most influential IP Personalities

/ By / Others

Time for some kudos, just as the year draws to a close. As in previous years, the reputed international journal ‘Managing Intellectual Property’ (“MIP”), came up with its list of the 50 most influential people in IPR for 2014-15.   Apologies for carrying this slightly late in the day, but this article was behind a pay-wall till recently. Many thanks to MIP for opening it up! Here is a link to the full list, which includes the following famous names:

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Form 27 and Draft Patent (Amendment) Rules, 2015

/ By / Innovation, Patent

Introduction I had earlier covered Shamnad Basheer v. Union of India where the petitioner highlighted the failure to enforce statutory provisions relating to the disclosure as to how patentees have worked their inventions. This is a unique provision in the Indian Patents Act, 1970 (section 146(2)), and year after year, patentees are mandated to submit information (through Form 27) on the extent to which they’ve worked their patent i.e converted it to an innovative product and supplied the product to

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Some thoughts on plagiarism

/ By / Copyright, Others

Recently, I came across an interesting article titled ’Putin’s dissertation and the revenge of RuNet’ The article focuses on academic plagiarism by the ruling class especially in Russia. They are being unearthed by Dissernet. Citing various actions against Dissernet at the official levels, the article argues, that the ‘hunter is (unfairly) being hunted’ now. I am not interested in the politics of this article. I have come across quite a few Russia-bashing articles in western media.  I have my own views

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Announcement of IUCIPRS Justice Rajagopala Ayyangar Summer Fellowship instituted by CUSAT

/ By / Others

Inter University Centre for Intellectual Property Rights Studies (IUCIPRS), CUSAT is pleased to announce Two Summer Fellowships under ‘IUCIPRS Justice Rajagopala Ayyangar Summer Fellowship’ program during April to June 2016. IUCIPRS has instituted this Fellowship to encourage teachers interested in IP research in India to spend minimum of two months during summer (April to June) at IUCIPRS undertaking research work in IP. Eligibility: Applicants shall be a teacher in any University/College in India for less than 10 years. Preference shall

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