Nearly 6.50 lakh trademark registration applications pending with government: Jyotiraditya Scindia

NEW DELHI: Nearly 6.50 lakh applications seeking trademark registrations are pending with government due to manpower shortage and nearly 100 per cent rise in the number of requests since 2001-02, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia said today.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Scindia said 2,38,944 applications were pending at the examination stage, 2,74,963 pending at the objection stage and 1,35,874 pending at opposition stage.

The applications are pending as on March 31, 2012. He said registration of trade marks is a quasi-judicial process which tends to be time consuming as it involves various steps like examination of application, show cause hearings and completion of opposition proceedings.

"In addition, backlog has also risen because of approximately 100 per cent increase in the applications filed since 2001-02 and due to lack of adequate manpower," he said.

The Minister said registration agencies have been requested to hasten the recruitment process in order to fill up the vacant posts in the Trade Marks Registry.

"Other steps such as introduction of free search facilities and digitisation of records, streamlining of office procedure have been taken with a view to improve efficiency and transparency and thereby hasten the process of registration," he added.

A trade mark, popularly known as brand name in layman's language, is a visual symbol which may be a word signature, name, device, label, numerals or combination of colours used by one undertaking on goods or services or other articles of commerce to distinguish it from other similar goods or services originating from a different undertaking.