Overview

• On July 17, Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy issued notices to actor-politician Vijay and his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in a suit over a flag allegedly mirroring a Chennai trust’s trademark and copyrighted emblem.
• Thondai Mandala Saandror Dharma Paribalana Sabai registered its red-yellow-red tricolour and circular motif under Class 45 on June 1, 2024, and has used it on its Tamil monthly magazine and YouTube channel since 2023.
• The suit contends that TVK’s August 2024 flag is both visually and conceptually similar to the trust’s mark, risking public confusion between the social service trust and the political party.
• TVK denies any commercial use of the flag and argues that social service activities fall outside trademark infringement, as asserted in its May 31 response to the trust’s legal notice.
• The trust is seeking a permanent injunction, ₹5 lakh in damages, destruction of infringing materials and an accounting of profits, with the next hearing set for July 29.