Trademark & IP
Trade marks, patents, copyright and designs.
4stories · Comments invited
October 2026
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Draft guidelines on design registration of GUIs and icons: registrable only when applied to an article; comments invited within 30 days
Comments within 30 daysComments invitedThe Patent Office has published draft Guidelines for Registration of Designs relating to GUI & Icon under the Designs Act, 2000. A GUI or icon shown on its own will not be registrable; it must be applied to an article such as a mobile phone or monitor. Stakeholders can send comments by e-mail within 30 days of the public notice.
September 2026
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Patent Office releases draft examination guidelines for pharmaceutical and biotechnology patent applications, 2026
Draft pharma, biotech guidesComments invitedThe Office of the CGPDTM has published two drafts — Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications in the Field of Pharmaceuticals and in the Field of Biotechnology, both marked 2026. They are meant to bring uniform examination standards and to take in court decisions. Both are drafts; the Act and Rules prevail in any conflict.
August 2026
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Draft Trade Marks Manual: what counts as proof of prior use, and how a mark gets on the well-known list
Draft Trade Marks ManualComments invitedThe Trade Marks Registry’s draft Manual of Trade Marks — Practice & Procedure runs to seven chapters, from filing to renewal. Chapter 7 sorts user evidence into “primary” and “secondary” documents and sets out the well-known mark procedure under rule 124. It is a draft, not final practice.
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Patent Office puts out draft Manual of Patent Office Practice and Procedure, version 4.0: a 22-chapter guide that is not law
Draft Patent Manual v4.0Comments invitedThe Office of the CGPDTM has published a Draft Manual of Patent Office Practice and Procedure, version 4.0, 2026. It codifies procedure from filing to grant, opposition, renewal and compulsory licensing. The preface says it does not constitute rule making and does not have the force of law. It is a draft, not a final manual.
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