#Designs Act 2000

Kerala High Court rules that raising a defence under Section 22(4) of the Designs Act, 2000-challenging the validity of a registered design-automatically transfers the case to the High Court, bypassing lower court jurisdiction. This holding reinforces the exclusive jurisdiction of High Courts in design validity disputes, impacting litigants and practitioners in IP enforcement.

Calcutta High Court sets aside a design registration order, ruling that novelty and prior publication under the Designs Act 2000 must be established through strict documentary proof and comparative analysis, not mere visual inspection. The case is remanded for re-adjudication, emphasizing the need for rigorous evidentiary standards in design cancellation proceedings.

The Calcutta High Court has held that Graphical User Interfaces can be registered as designs under the Designs Act, 2000 if their visual features are applied to an article by an industrial process and judged solely by the eye, rejecting the misconception that GUIs are inherently functional or transient. This landmark ruling opens the door for tech and consumer electronics firms to protect innovative interface designs, aligning Indian IP law with global standards for digital aesthetics.