Kerala wins trade mark battle for KSRTC

Bengaluru: After years of legal battle, KSRTC, an acronym familiar to people of Karnataka and Kerala, will henceforth be used only by Kerala. The acronym is used in both the States for its public transport — Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, and has emerged as a brand of its own.

"KSRTC can now be used only for Kerala and therefore, a notice will be sent to Karnataka soon," said Biju Prabhakar, Kerala RTC MD and Transport Secretary.

Along with the acronym KSRTC, emblem and its nickname 'Ana Vandi' will also be Kerala's.

"The history of KSRTC in Kerala is intertwined with the lives of the people. It is not just a vehicle service. KSRTC has left its mark in cinema, literature, our culture. It cannot be erased that easily. I am happy with the verdict and congratulate the officials who worked for this. This is an achievement for KSRTC," said Kerala Transport Minister Antony Raju.

Kerala said its claim was approved by the Controller General of Patents Design and Trade Marks under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.

With this registration, the Kerala SRTC has become the sole custodian of the trademark and that all buses of the state-run corporation can display KSRTC with the mark to indicate the registration (R).

For the past seven years, the Kerala RTC and the Karnataka State Transport Corporation have been battling over the acronym KSRTC. "KSRTC is still being used by both RTC buses and websites. The judgment is likely to clear up passenger misunderstanding over which KSRTC is the real deal. The battle over 'KSRTC' began in 2014 when Karnataka RTC applied for trademark registration. Kerala was jolted by a legal notice from the Karnataka RTC, which compelled it to expedite the process of obtaining control of the trademark properties.

But on Thursday, Kerala's claim was approved by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trade Marks. Kerala RTC will be the sole custodian of the trademarks as a result of the registration. KSRTC with the mark to show the registration (R) will be displayed on all buses of the corporation.

Reacting to this, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister, Laxman Savadi said that they haven't received the order copy yet and that the State will discuss and explore all possibilities once they receive it. "It is reported that the trademark registry has now ruled that Karnataka should not use the acronym. But we have yet to officially come to terms with what is in this judgment, and once it is made available, the state of Karnataka will decide on the next stand and what the legal fight will be. Ours is a federal system. This federal system states that a state must maintain a friendly relationship with another state without any conflict," Savadi said.

"It is unfortunate this controversy has been unnecessarily stirred up. This is because in private companies, this type of name or trademark affects their business and profits. But government agencies are not. The service of the people here is important. Karnataka or Kerala are working towards the interests and service of the public without resorting to profit or competition in the field of mutual transport. Thus no state should make this a matter of prestige. This is not something that Kerala can celebrate. We should all end the practice of raising disputes in one another's states, unnecessarily increasing disputes over such matters. The most important thing is to maintain good relations between the states and the state in the interests of the country," Laxman Savadi added in the statement.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is one of the country's oldest and best-run public transportation systems. In 1973, Mysore Government Road Transport Department was renamed as Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. Kerala RTC has a similar history, except it began as the Travancore State Transport Department (TSTD) and in 1965 was renamed Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.