Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, today, clarified that media reports saying that the Central Trade Mark Registry has allowed Kerala to use 'KSRTC' are “factually incorrect” and that no final order has been passed in the appeal.
Both Kerala and Karnataka road transport corporations have been involved in a decades-old legal battle over the use of the abbreviation 'KSRTC'.
It was widely reported that the Central Trade Marks Registry had announced its final verdict on Wednesday, and only Kerala State Road Transport Corporation can use the abbreviation 'KSRTC'.
Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, however, refuted the reports. “These reports are factually incorrect, as we have not received any such notice or order from the Central Trade Mark Registry as claimed until today,” said KarnatakaSRTC managing direcor Shivayogi C. Kalasad, in a statement.
“No final orders have also been passed in the said appeals. In the meanwhile, Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) was abolished by an Ordinance of the Central Government dated 4.04.2021 and all such pending applications will be transferred to the High Court for adjudication. So as on date , KSRTC’s registration of the marks continue to be legally in force and the claim of KeralaSRTC in news reports that Karnataka state cannot use the trademarks is factually incorrect and legally untenable.
“As such, there is no legal prohibition against the use of the trademark ‘KSRTC’ by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation,” the statement says.
The legal war began in 1994 when Karnataka issued a notice to Kerala against the use of 'KSRTC', claiming that they had secured the trademark on it. Kerala approached the Trade Marks Registry, saying they were the first to use the brand 'KSRTC' on their buses.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was formed in 1965, though its journey began during the British Raj when Travancore State Transport Department (TSTD) was constituted. Karnataka started using 'KSRTC' only in 1973.
KSRTC MD and Kerala Transport Secretary Biju Prabhakar said a notice would now be sent to Karnataka Transport Corporation, asking them to stop using the brand name on their buses.
Kalasad said that if and when such a notice is issued, a suitable reply would be issued. “We are currently consulting our lawyers to take effective legal steps to protect our rights. In the meanwhile, it is requested to restrain from publishing any such unverified and 'incorrect reports' with legally untenable claims, as reportedly stated by Kerala RTC . We reserve our right to legally defend our claim.”