Article · 12 min read

How to Enforce Your Trade Mark Rights: Cease and Desist, Litigation and More

SCC Online (SCC Times editorial) · SCC Times Free Intermediate India

This is the single piece that walks the exact leverage ladder our answer describes, in order: cease-and-desist notice first, then infringement (registered) vs passing off (unregistered) as the two litigation tracks, then the actual court remedies (permanent and temporary injunctions, damages, delivery-up). It even flags Section 103 criminal action, so you know the full weight you can put behind a copycat before you spend a rupee on a suit.

  • A cease-and-desist notice is not just a threat: it documents your good-faith attempt to resolve and becomes evidence if you later go to court
  • Registration is what gets you the fast statutory infringement route; without it you are stuck proving goodwill, misrepresentation, and damage under passing off
  • Beyond injunctions and damages, the Trade Marks Act carries criminal penalties (6 months to 3 years), which raises the stakes in a strong C&D

The question it answers

  1. Someone is copying my brand, product, or content. What can I actually do about it in India?

Read with it

  1. This is the practical takedown playbook: enroll in Amazon Brand Registry (you need your registered trademark, though India also... Lex Protector Article · 10 min read How to Handle Trademark Infringement on Amazon and Social Media Lex Protector (IP law firm)
  2. This nails why registering matters before trouble starts: infringement needs only a valid registration and works as prima facie... Bar & Bench Article · 8 min read Trademark infringement vs. Passing off: What is the difference and why it matters Divyang Chandan
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