A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court urging the court to stop the trademark registration of the term “Operation Sindoor”, which is linked to India’s recent military action against terror camps in Pakistan.
The PIL, submitted by petitioner Dev Ashish Dubey, seeks to block attempts by multiple private individuals who filed applications under Class 41 of the Trade Marks Act, which covers education and entertainment services. These applications were made using the name “Operation Sindoor”.
The petition targets four specific individuals:
(1) Mukesh Chetram Agrawal (Mumbai),
(2) Group Captain Kamal Singh Obreh (Retd) (J&K),
(3) Alok Kothari (Delhi),
(4) Jayraj T (Kerala), and
(5) Uttam (Gujarat).
Their trademark applications were filed in various locations including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.
“The Operation Sindoor involves the emotions not only of the countrymen but also of those who have sacrificed their lives for the nation. The recent killing of innocent civilians in the Pahalgam Terror Attack on April 22, 2025, has sparked nationwide anger,” the plea states.
The petitioner strongly opposes the use of this emotionally and nationally sensitive operation name for commercial purposes, especially during a time of grief and national mourning. It is argued that such use amounts to profiting from the sacrifice of soldiers and civilians.
“The said operation should not be misused for commercial exploitation by the applicants, who are only trying to gain profit from the public emotion surrounding this event,” the petition adds.
The plea also refers to Section 9 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, which restricts the registration of names that could hurt public sentiments or are against national interest.
“Needless to say that even otherwise the registration of the said name under the name and style Operation Sindoor cannot be allowed under Section 9 of the Trademark Act, 1999,” the plea affirms.
Interestingly, Reliance Industries, owned by Mukesh Ambani, also made a similar application to register “Operation Sindoor” as a work mark with the Trade Marks Registry on May 7. However, after receiving backlash from the public, the company withdrew the application. An official statement clarified that the application was filed without internal approval, calling it a mistake by a junior employee.
Read also:- President Appoints Justice Surya Kant as Executive Chairman of NALSA
The petitioner, through his legal team—AOR Om Prakash Parihar and Advocate Dushyant Tiwari—has requested two main actions from the court:
- A direction to stop the Trademark Registry from registering the name "Operation Sindoor" filed by the private applicants.
- A direction to remove all existing trademark applications under the name from the registry.
“This is not just a name—it represents national pride, sacrifice, and the collective grief of a country in mourning,” the petitioner stressed.
The matter is now before the Supreme Court under the case title: DEV ASHISH DUBEY v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS.
