Considering the abrupt outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and acknowledging the expanding number of COVID-19 cases, the Trade Marks Registry has chosen to conduct Show-Cause Hearing through Video Conferencing.
The Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) issued a Public Notice dated August 26, 2020, wherein the CGPDTM has advised that in the outbreak of COVID-19 circumstances in India and taking into account provisions under Trademark Rules, 2017, show-cause hearings for the trademark-related issues will be led through video conferencing.
Focuses points of show cause hearing through video conferencing:
Assent/ Consent of the party is required– Show cause hearings through video conferencing will be booked for those issues where the candidate or approved specialist gives assent and affirm their cooperation for the hearing through Video Conferencing. Affirmation is to be presented by candidates/specialists by sending an email to tlahearing-tmr@gov.in
Consent for show cause hearings through video conferencing is to be presented by the concerned candidate or their approved agent at the latest by September 5, 2020. Other applications will be kept in suspension to plan hearing face-to-face as and when physical hearings will initiate.
On the off chance that the candidate or its approved agent as the case might stay missing on the date of hearing the application will be chosen according to the law.
Way of submitting assent– For submitting assent for hearing through video conferencing, the candidate or his authorized operator will present his request by writing in the subject “assent for show-cause Hearing through Video Conference”.
CGPDTM has additionally informed that the Office will attempt to schedule all forthcoming applications and requests of the concerned candidate/operator on the same day in the successive request according to accessible time.