What is IPAB ?

Explanations: 

• Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) has been constituted by a Gazette notification of the Central Government in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on 15th September 2003.
• The main aim is to hear appeals against the decisions of the Registrar under the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
• IPAB has its headquarters at Chennai and shall have sittings at Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
• The appeals in the various high courts in the country which are pending are transferred to the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
• Until the formation of the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) all the appeals against the Registrar of Trademarks were heard only in the High Courts.
• After the formation all the cases are heard by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
• Applications for rectification of the Trademarks register are also accepted by the IPAB.
• Appeals related to Geographical Indications of Goods are also heard by the IPAB.
• To speed up the disposal of appeals and rectifications those are pending in the high courts, they are now heard in the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
• From Oct 2003 all the cases in high courts with respect to trademarks are transferred to the IPAB.
• For the rectification of the register and for appeals against the Registrar of Trademarks the fees are Rs. 5000.