Now Reading: Madras HC restrains Matrimony.com from using Jodii trademark
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Madras HC restrains Matrimony.com from using Jodii trademark
The Madras High Court has restrained Matrimony.com from using the brand name Jodii, ruling it is deceptively similar to FreeElective Network's registered trademark Jodi365. A division bench overturned a 2022 single-judge verdict…
The Madras High Court has restrained Matrimony.com from using the brand name Jodii, ruling it is deceptively similar to FreeElective Network's registered trademark Jodi365. A division bench overturned a 2022 single-judge verdict that had allowed Matrimony.com to continue using the name.
The court ordered Matrimony.com to surrender all materials bearing the Jodii mark for destruction. However, it rejected FreeElective's demand for Rs 1 crore in damages, citing lack of oral evidence on the extent of loss. Matrimony.com said it is considering an appeal before the Supreme Court based on legal advice.
FreeElective, which operates Jodi365 since 2009, had sent a cease-and-desist notice to Matrimony.com in November 2021 after the latter launched its Jodii app in October 2021. The division bench held that Jodi is the prominent feature of FreeElective's registered mark and that phonetic similarity between Jodi365 and Jodii could confuse consumers.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Trademark disputes in the matrimonial services space are rare but significant because brand recognition drives user trust. Matrimony.com, which runs BharatMatrimony, has a market capitalisation of over Rs 4,500 crore and operates multiple sub-brands. The Jodii app was a direct competitor to Jodi365 in the same user segment. The division bench's focus on phonetic similarity over visual differences tightens the test for descriptive marks. If the Supreme Court refuses to stay the order, Matrimony.com will have to rebrand Jodii, incurring costs in lakhs for app updates, marketing, and legal compliance. The next step is a Supreme Court petition, which could take months to be heard.
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Source: inc42.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
