India TV wins domain name dispute

The Delhi High Court has issued a restraining order against the US-based India Broadcast Live from using a website using the domain name indiatvlive.com to broadcast Indian TV programmes in their original form. In its petition, India TV alleged the domain name, indiatvlive.com, used by India Broadcast Live, was similar to its trademark and that the plaintiffs had no legitimate right over the domain name.Indian news reports report the “interim order delivered by Justice S.K. Kaul in January, the US-based firm was restrained from using any domain name containing the words India TV as also barred from transferring the rights to any other entity.”In July, the court permitted India Broadcast Live to use the domain name but requires a disclaimer to be placed prominently next to the logo of Indiatvlive.com. The court said the disclaimer should read, “The website has no connection, affiliation or association whatsoever with India TV, the Indian Hindi news and current affairs television channel.”However, the defendants registered and commenced using the domain name indiabroadcastlive.com, with the court ruling its orders apply to this name too.”The court observed that when the impugned domain name is typed, a redirection notice says the website is not operational due to interim orders passed and visitors are automatically redirected to indiabroadcastlive.com”For full reports on the decision go to:
http://www.indiaprwire.com/businessnews/20070717/23492.htm
http://newspostindia.com/report-7717
http://www.indiaenews.com/business/20070717/61173.htm
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1110441