Kerala and Karnataka is on a race to grab the tag “KSRTC”, which is used by both state’s road transport corporation. The issue came up when Kerala was asked not to use the brand name by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation.
Karnataka has registered the brand name and got it registered with Trade Mark Registry too. However, Kerala is reportedly set to file an objection against the same, claiming the state has been using the tag since 1953.
According to reports, Managing Director of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, Antony Chacko, said, “KSRTC is the name Kerala has been using for years. Karnataka went to the Trademarks Registry in 2012, we were not even informed about it. We will fight this legally.”
While the question of “who owns KSRTC” arises, Kerala has begun using the KSRTC brand label in 1963 and Karnataka started using the same name since 1973. Giving a spark to the issue, a year ago, Karnataka has registered the name as its own but until Kerala got the notice legally, asking to stop using the tag, the matter did not seem to be an issue between the states.
Meanwhile, regarding the issue, there had been wide protests in social media website pages like facebook. There has been comments posted by Keralites in the official page of Karnataka KSRTC’s official page, expressing their protest on the issue.
However, Kerala is trying to retain the tag by using all possible ways. While Karnataka argues on the state’s first registration of tag, Kerala sticks on to the time it begun the use of the brand name.
Source: Microfinancemonitor.com
