New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to put up disclaimer notices at a south Delhi metro station and other places that the coaching centre, FIIT-JEE, is in no manner connected to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
The court was hearing a plea by the IIT seeking directions to the (DMRC) not to use its name in conjunction with that of FIIT-JEE for the metro station there, claiming it was tarnishing the image of the premier engineering institute.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru, while disposing of the plea, directed the disclaimer should clearly indicate that FIIT-JEE is not connected with the IIT in any manner and the font and size of the disclaimer should be identical with the font and size in which FIIT-JEE is written at the metro station or any other place where the metro uses the name.
The metro station opposite the IIT is called FIIT-JEE IIT Delhi metro station.
Observing that there cannot be any incorrect representation, the judge also pulled up the DMRC for allowing a deceptive co-branding at its station and said why a disclaimer was not issued at the time of tender in this regard.
When the metro counsel said it had given the rights to an advertising firm which had floated the tender, the court asked "Don't you have control over co-branding or control over the name to be put on your station board?"
IIT's counsel said if DMRC wanted to use the IIT's name, it should have first asked the institute.
The DMRC counsel said he had no objection to the suggestion and a disclaimer has already been put on the hoarding and their font and size would also be made identical now to dispel any confusion.
During the hearing, the counsel for FIIT-JEE sought the court's permission to file its response to the plea, which was denied by the court. He said the coaching centre was not at fault and its right should not be prejudiced as a tender was floated for advertisement at this station and FIIT-JEE had bid for it and got the tender.
The court made it clear that it was not stopping IIT from initiating any other action with regard to trade infringement. It said this order will also not preclude FIIT-JEE from taking any action.
The IIT had moved the court against coupling of its name with that of FIIT-JEE at the metro station near the engineering institute in South Delhi. It had said that the 'co-branding' had misled the people to think that both have partnered together.
The IIT, in its plea, had said that due to the coupling of the names, it has been receiving queries and complaints from aspiring candidates, parents and even the alumni, asking if FIIT-JEE was the 'official' coaching partner for those aspiring to get admission there.
The Delhi metro has since 2014 been auctioning the naming rights of several of its stations to generate revenue.
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