Page:Trade Marks Act (India), 1999.djvu/46

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46
THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY
[PART II—


Certification of validity. 141. If in any legal proceeding for rectification of the register before the Appellate Board a decision is on contest given in favour of the registered proprietor of the trade mark on the issue as to the validity of the registration of the trade mark, the Appellate Board may grant a certificate to that effect, and if such a certificate is granted, then, in any subsequent legal proceeding in which the said validity comes into question the said proprietor on obtaining a final order or judgment in his favour affirming validity of the registration of the trade mark shall, unless the said final order or judgment for sufficient reason directs otherwise, be entitled to his full cost charges and expenses as between legal practitioner and client.

Groundless threats of legal proceedings. 142. (1) Where a person, by means of circulars, advertisements or otherwise, threatens a person with an action or proceeding for infringement of a trade mark which is registered, or with some other like proceeding, a person aggrieved may, whether the person making the threats is or is not the registered proprietor or the registered user of the trade mark, bring a suit against the first-mentioned person and may obtain a declaration to the effect that the threats are unjustifiable, and an injunction against the continuance of the threats and may recover such damages (if any) as he has sustained, unless the first-mentioned person satisfies the court that the trade mark is registered and that the acts in respect of which the proceedings were threatened, constitute, or, if done, would constitute, an infringement of the trade mark.

(2) The last preceding sub-section does not apply if the registered proprietor of the trade mark, or a registered user acting in pursuance of sub-section (1) of section 52 with due diligence commences and prosecutes an action against the person threatened for infringement of the trade mark.

(3) Nothing in this section shall render a legal practitioner or a registered trade marks agent liable to an action under this section in respect of an act done by him in his professional capacity on behalf of a client.

(4) A suit under sub-section (1) shall not be instituted in any court inferior to a District Court.

Address for service. 143. An address for service stated in an application or notice of opposition shall for the purposes of the application or notice of opposition be deemed to be the address of the applicant or opponent, as the case may be, and all documents in relation to the application or notice of opposition may be served by leaving them at or sending them by post to the address for service of the applicant or opponent, as the case may be.

Trade usages, etc., to be taken into consideration. 144. In any proceeding relating to a trade mark, the tribunal shall admit evidence of the usages of the trade concerned and of any relevant trade mark or trade name or get up legitimately used by other persons.

Agents. 145. Where, by or under this Act, any act, other than the making of an affidavit, is required to be done before the Registrar by any person, the act may, subject to the rules made in this behalf, be done instead of by that person himself, by a person duly authorised in the prescribed manner, who is—

(a) a legal practitioner, or

(b) a person registered in the prescribed manner as a trade marks agent, or

(c) a person in the sole and regular employment of the principal.

Marks registered by an agent or representative without authority. 146. If an agent or a representative of the proprietor of a registered trade mark, without authority uses or attempts to register or registers the mark in his own name, the proprietor shall be entitled to oppose the registration applied for or secure its cancellation or rectification of the register so as to bring him as the registered proprietor of the said mark by assignment in his favour: