Trademark Opposition

Trademark opposition in India comes at a stage after the registrar has approved the trademark application on the grounds of distinctiveness and published the third-party opposition's trademark in the journal.

Who can oppose a Trademark Application in India?

Any person can oppose a trademark application filed by an applicant for various reasons during the trademark application stage.

According to Section 21 of the Trademark Act, 'any person' can oppose a trademark, irrespective of his commercial or personal interest in the matter.

A trademark can be countered by filed by a customer, member of the public or competitor, or any other person. Also, the person filing the trademark opposition needs to be a prior registered trademark owner.

Who decides whether the trademark should be abandoned or registered?

After a trademark opposition is filed, both parties need to conclude whether the trademark should be abandoned or registered. However, there is no restriction on filing an opposition. Anyone who believes that the published mark might create confusion among the public can file for the opposition while defending the trademark lies in the trademark registrant's hands.