News
Arbitration – Limitation for application for appointment of arbitrator
15 April 2021
The Supreme Court has recently suggested that it is necessary for the Parliament to effect an amendment to Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, prescribing a specific period of limitation within which a party may move the court for making an application for appointment of the arbitrator under said section.
Prayer for injunction – Practice of two separate prayers, under infringement and passing off, unwise
09 April 2021
The Bombay High Court has deprecated the practice of setting out two separate prayers, one for infringement and one for passing off, where both seek injunction. Urging the advocates to reconsider the manner in which they frame these prayers, the Court termed the practice as ‘singularly unwise’ and counter-productive.
Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) abolished
05 April 2021
The Central Government has by way of an Ordinance issued last Sunday (4 April 2021) abolished Intellectual Property Appellate Board (‘IPAB’). It may be noted that a Bill for this purpose was earlier introduced in the lower House of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) on 13 February 2021 but could not be taken for consideration and passing. The Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021 (‘Ordinance’) seeks to amend...
PLI Scheme for food processing industry gets Cabinet’s approval
01 April 2021
The Union Cabinet has on 31 March 2021 approved a Production Linked Incentive Scheme for the Food Processing Industry. The scheme, with the outlay of INR 10900 crore, has the objective to support creation of global food manufacturing champions and strengthen select Indian brand of food products for global visibility and wider acceptance in the international markets.
Technical Barriers to Trade – 20 new specific trade concerns raised – Indian measures lead the table with 5 recent measures questioned at WTO
29 March 2021
Several of the Indian measures were questioned at the last meeting of the WTO’s Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade.
Copyright registration is not mandatory for seeking remedy of infringement
24 March 2021
Holding the Bombay High Court decision in the case of Dhiraj Dharamdas Dewani v. Sonal Info Systems Pvt. Ltd. and Others as per incuriam, the Coordinate Bench of the same Court has held that registration under Copyright Act, 1957 is not mandatory.
Incentives received by travel agents from airlines and CRS companies not liable under Business Auxiliary Services
19 March 2021
The Larger Bench of the CESTAT has held that the target-based incentives and the Central Reservation System (‘CRS’) commission received from airlines and CRS companies respectively, by the air travel agents, is not liable to service tax under the category of Business Auxiliary Services (‘BAS’). It was held that travel agents were not promoting business of airlines or of CRS companies and that incentive for achieving targets was not taxable.
DRI officer not ‘the’ proper officer to issue show cause notice under Customs Section 28(4)
10 March 2021
The 3-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court has held that DRI has no authority in law to issue a show cause notice under Section 28(4) of Customs Act, 1962 for recovery of duties allegedly not levied or paid when the goods were cleared for import by a Deputy Commissioner of Customs who decided that the goods were exempted. Referring to Section 28(4), the Court observed that the legislature intended to confer the power to recover such duties not on any proper officer but only on ‘the proper officer’.
Production Linked Incentive Scheme approved for Pharmaceuticals and IT Hardware
01 March 2021
The Indian Union Cabinet has recently approved the Production Linked Incentive (‘PLI’) Schemes for pharmaceuticals and IT hardware. The schemes propose production linked incentives to boost domestic manufacturing and attract large investments in India. The total quantum of incentives is INR 15000 crores for the pharmaceuticals and INR 7350 for the IT hardware sector.
Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) set to be abolished
16 February 2021
The Ministry of Finance and Corporate Affairs has on 13 February 2021 introduced a Bill in the Lower House of the Indian Parliament (Lok Sabha) which seeks to abolish various Tribunals and Authorities, including the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (‘IPAB’).