The Delhi High Court has ruled that ‘Ritz’ and ‘Ritz Carlton,’ managed by the Paris-based Ritz Hotel Limited, are well-known trademarks in India. Justice Amit Bansal explained that the marks have been in use by the plaintiffs for many years across a large area. Their widespread use, public recognition, and reputation come from extensive advertising, publicity, and the significant revenue they generate both in India and abroad. Because of these factors, the court recognized the marks as well-known trademarks.
The court issued a declaration under Section 2(1)(zg) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999. This decision followed a case filed by the company against MS Hotel Ritz. The defendant operated a website, www.ritz-hotels.com, which offered hotel reservations through third-party travel sites. The company presented evidence of multiple Indian trademark registrations for the Ritz and Ritz-Carlton names and stated that these marks are widely recognized by Indian consumers.
The court found that the company met all the criteria listed in Section 11(6) and 11(7), which guide the recognition of well-known trademarks. It pointed out media articles covering visits by Indian dignitaries to The Ritz Paris, references in movies and books, awards received in India, domain registrations, and legal documents related to trademark registrations in India.
As a result, the court issued a permanent injunction. This prevents the defendant from infringing the company’s trademarks. The court also ordered the immediate shutdown of the disputed websites. The case was represented by advocates Mr. Pravin Anand, Ms. Vaishali R. Mittal, Ms. Gitanjali Sharma, and Mr. Rishub Kapoor. The case is titled The Ritz Hotel Limited & Ors. v. MS Hotel Ritz & Ors.