For the proposition that the likelihood of confusion of association
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cannot be said to be reduced in view of the category of consumers
targeted by the rival marks, Mr. Narula places reliance on my decision
in Zydus Wellness Products Ltd v. Cipla Health Ltd15 and para 32 of
my decision in Mankind Pharma Ltd v. Novakind Bio Sciences Pvt
Ltd16.
18. Relying on the judgment of this Bench in Zydus Wellness
Products Ltd v. Cipla Health Ltd1, Mr. Sibal submits that, in order to
be entitled to the benefit of Section 30(2)(a)2 of the Trade Marks Act,
the entire mark of the defendant has to be descriptive. Even if "Lotus"
were to be treated as descriptive, he submits that "Lotus Splash" is at
the best suggestive and it is in clear recognition of the fact that the
defendant has proceeded to apply for registration of all its marks,
except "Lotus Splash".
(v) Section 35 would not apply where the defendant was
using the impugned mark as a trade mark. The use would not,
then, be bona fide. Reliance is placed, on this context, on paras
203 and 210 of Zydus Wellness Products Ltd v. Cipla Health
Ltd14. The defendants were clearly using the mark as a
trade mark, and not merely as source identifiers. Section 35
protects only honest user of one's name as a mark.
21. In view of the aforesaid, the said mark "BharatStamp" of the appellant
does not convey any connection with the goods and/ or services for which it
is sought to be granted registration to anyone, much less, the average
consumer. It would require a higher degree of imagination for the average
consumer to come to that conclusion. The said mark "BharatStamp" of the
appellant is, thus, inherently distinctive. Even though the present mark
"BharatStamp" of the appellant was filed on a 'proposed to be used' basis,
however, the same can acquire distinctiveness on or before it is granted
registration subsequently. The same view has been expressed by a Co-
ordinate Bench of this Court in Zydus Wellness Products Limited (supra),
which was following an earlier decision by the Division Bench of this Court
17
2023 SCC OnLine Del 1234
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in Marico Limited v. Agro Tech Foods Limited 18, wherein it has held as
under:-
Reliance
is placed upon judgment of Delhi High Court in Zydus v. Cipla,
2023 SCCOnLine Del 3785 decided on 03.07.2023, relevant
paras of which are reproduced as under: