{"id":12085,"date":"2025-11-22T06:56:47","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T06:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/?p=12085"},"modified":"2025-11-22T07:42:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T07:42:36","slug":"a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/","title":{"rendered":"A Decades-Long Battle: The Historical Timeline of the &#8216;Choice&#8217; Trademark War"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Trademark_Dispute_Officers_Choice_vs_Original_Choice\"><\/span>Trademark Dispute: Officer&#8217;s Choice vs Original Choice<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The trademark dispute between Allied Blenders and Distillers Pvt. Ltd. (ABD), makers of <strong>Officer&#8217;s Choice<\/strong>, and John Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. (JDL), makers of <strong>Original Choice<\/strong>, is one of India\u2019s most enduring commercial legal battles. Spanning nearly three decades, it highlights the tension between market reputation, consumer perception, and the limits of trademark protection.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/#Trademark_Dispute_Officers_Choice_vs_Original_Choice\" >Trademark Dispute: Officer&#8217;s Choice vs Original Choice<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/#Timeline_of_Key_Events\" >Timeline of Key Events<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/#Governing_Case_Laws_Trademark_Jurisprudence\" >Governing Case Laws (Trademark Jurisprudence)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/#Key_Precedents_on_Deceptive_Similarity_and_Confusion\" >Key Precedents on Deceptive Similarity and Confusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/#Precedents_on_Prior_Use_Reputation_and_Coexistence\" >Precedents on Prior Use, Reputation, and Coexistence<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/#Precedents_on_Alcohol_Branding\" >Precedents on Alcohol Branding<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/#Current_Status_of_the_Dispute\" >Current Status of the Dispute<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Timeline_of_Key_Events\"><\/span>Timeline of Key Events<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Year\/Date<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Event<\/strong><\/td>\n<td><strong>Outcome &amp; Significance<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Pre-1990<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Officer&#8217;s Choice launches.<\/td>\n<td>Gains strong market presence and reputation, forming the foundation of ABD\u2019s trademark claim.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Mid-1990s<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Original Choice enters the market.<\/td>\n<td>The alleged similarity in name and abbreviation (OC) sets the stage for conflict.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>1995<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>ABD opposes Original Choice before Excise authorities.<\/td>\n<td>Marks the formal beginning of the rivalry and opposition proceedings.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>2007\u20132008<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Both companies file rectification petitions against each other\u2019s trademarks.<\/td>\n<td>ABD: Original Choice is deceptively similar. JDL: Officer\u2019s Choice registration was defective.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>March 8, 2013<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>IPAB Decision.<\/td>\n<td>Dismisses both petitions, holding that the marks are <strong>not deceptively similar<\/strong> and can coexist.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>2013<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Appeals filed in the Madras High Court.<\/td>\n<td>The dispute escalates from IPAB to the High Court.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Nov 7, 2025<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Madras High Court ruling.<\/td>\n<td>Reverses IPAB. Finds <strong>Original Choice deceptively similar<\/strong> to Officer\u2019s Choice. Orders removal of JDL\u2019s mark. Dismisses JDL\u2019s counter-petition.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Nov 17, 2025<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Supreme Court intervention.<\/td>\n<td>JDL challenges the High Court order. SC appoints former Justice L. Nageswara Rao as mediator, prioritizing settlement over immediate adjudication.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Governing_Case_Laws_Trademark_Jurisprudence\"><\/span>Governing Case Laws (Trademark Jurisprudence)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Supreme Court and various High Courts have established definitive tests that govern the issues central to the &#8216;Choice&#8217; dispute: deceptive similarity, consumer confusion, and coexistence.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Precedents_on_Deceptive_Similarity_and_Confusion\"><\/span>Key Precedents on Deceptive Similarity and Confusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Cadila Healthcare Ltd. v. Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (2001):<\/strong> Laid down the test for deceptive similarity, stressing factors like phonetic resemblance, the nature of goods, consumer sophistication, and the overall impression created by the marks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Amritdhara Pharmacy v. Satya Deo Gupta (1963):<\/strong> Established that even mere resemblance likely to confuse an <strong>average purchaser with imperfect recollection<\/strong> is sufficient to justify injunction.<\/li>\n<li><strong>K.R. Chinna Krishna Chettiar v. Sri Ambal &amp; Co. (1970):<\/strong> Reinforced the principle that <strong>phonetic similarity alone<\/strong> (e.g., &#8216;Ambal&#8217; and &#8216;Andal&#8217;) can justify restraint, despite spelling or visual differences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Precedents_on_Prior_Use_Reputation_and_Coexistence\"><\/span>Precedents on Prior Use, Reputation, and Coexistence<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>James Chadwick &amp; Bros. Ltd. v. National Sewing Thread Co. (1951):<\/strong> Underscored that prior use and reputation built over years entitle a party (e.g., Officer&#8217;s Choice) to stronger protection, even if registration is defective.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nandhini Deluxe v. Karnataka Co-Operative Milk Producers Federation Ltd. (2018):<\/strong> Introduced the principle that <strong>long coexistence<\/strong> in the market may dilute exclusivity unless confusion is clearly shown, providing a potential defense for the later entrant (Original Choice).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Precedents_on_Alcohol_Branding\"><\/span>Precedents on Alcohol Branding<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Khoday Distilleries Ltd. v. Scotch Whisky Association (2008):<\/strong> Emphasized the need for <strong>stricter scrutiny in alcohol branding<\/strong> given public interest concerns and the history of deliberate imitation in the liquor industry.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Current_Status_of_the_Dispute\"><\/span>Current Status of the Dispute<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The matter now rests in Supreme Court\u2013mandated mediation. The central question is whether a trademark with long-standing registration and market presence (Original Choice) can be cancelled after decades of coexistence, or if a mediated solution involving changes to packaging and trade dress is the appropriate remedy. The mediation outcome will set an important precedent for commercial disputes in India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trademark Dispute: Officer&#8217;s Choice vs Original Choice The trademark dispute between Allied Blenders and Distillers Pvt. Ltd. (ABD), makers of Officer&#8217;s Choice, and John Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. (JDL), makers of Original Choice, is one of India\u2019s most enduring commercial legal battles. Spanning nearly three decades, it highlights the tension between market reputation, consumer perception, and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[28,841],"class_list":["post-12085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-intellectual-property","tag-top-news","tag-trademark-law"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Decades-Long Battle: The Historical Timeline of the &#039;Choice&#039; Trademark War - Legal Service India - Articles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A detailed analysis of the Officer\u2019s Choice vs Original Choice trademark dispute, key court rulings, timelines, and trademark law principles in India.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Decades-Long Battle: The Historical Timeline of the &#039;Choice&#039; Trademark War\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A detailed analysis of the Officer\u2019s Choice vs Original Choice trademark dispute, key court rulings, timelines, and trademark law principles in India.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/a-decades-long-battle-the-historical-timeline-of-the-choice-trademark-war\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Legal Service India - Articles\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/legalservicesind\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-22T06:56:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-22T07:42:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/images-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"270\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"148\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Md. 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He served in Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, holding the positions of DCP (Special Branch) and DCP (Traffic) for over 4 years. He was posted in the districts of Dakshin Dinajpur and Nadia as Additional SP. At the sub-divisional level, he has worked as SDPOs of Gangarampur, Raghunathpur and Kalna sub-divisions of West Bengal. His tenure as Special IG and subsequently as IGP of Correctional Services, West Bengal, for over 4 years, saw him deeply engaged in improving the prison and correctional system. He visited numerous correctional homes across West Bengal, interacting with inmates, both male and female, including children residing with their incarcerated mothers. His outreach extended to correctional homes in Assam, Bihar, and Tripura. This hands-on approach provided him with invaluable insights into the workings of prisons and the complexities of the prisoner psyche. Beyond his operational roles, Md. Imran Wahab possesses a strong academic background, holding B.Sc., M.A., L.L.B., and M.B.A. degrees. He has also completed Post Graduate Diplomas in Human Rights, Project Management, Corporate Management, Computer Application, Public Administration, Medical Law, Disaster Management, Fire Safety &amp; Hazards Management and Psychology. He has attended Indian government sponsored specialized training in police and management matters in SVPNPA, Hyderabad, IIM, Ahmedabad and Singapore. He is the author of the books 'Police Investigation &amp; Allied Matters' and 'Alternative Dispute Resolution: Evolving Trends and Innovations' demonstrating his commitment to knowledge sharing within the law enforcement field. As an observer for the Election Commission of India, he has gained firsthand experience in conducting assembly elections and bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Bihar, and Tripura (twice). This exposure has given him a deep understanding of election management and the Election Commission's operations. He has also served as Chairman and as a member of various recruitment boards for the selection of police personnel in Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police. Md. Imran Wahab's interests extend beyond law enforcement to include law, politics, international affairs, prison management, and business management. He has authored over 1000 articles on these diverse topics, reflecting his intellectual curiosity and desire to contribute to public discourse. 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Imran Wahab","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/avatars\/49\/1777837060-bpfull.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/avatars\/49\/1777837060-bpfull.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/avatars\/49\/1777837060-bpfull.jpg","caption":"Md. Imran Wahab"},"description":"Md. Imran Wahab, a distinguished 2004-batch Indian Police Service officer, has dedicated over 32 years to public service, holding various senior managerial positions within the West Bengal Police force. His career has spanned diverse roles across different districts, including Kolkata Police, serving as DCP, 5th Battalion, Kolkata Armed Police and DCP (Port Division), for approximately 4 years. He served in Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, holding the positions of DCP (Special Branch) and DCP (Traffic) for over 4 years. He was posted in the districts of Dakshin Dinajpur and Nadia as Additional SP. At the sub-divisional level, he has worked as SDPOs of Gangarampur, Raghunathpur and Kalna sub-divisions of West Bengal. His tenure as Special IG and subsequently as IGP of Correctional Services, West Bengal, for over 4 years, saw him deeply engaged in improving the prison and correctional system. He visited numerous correctional homes across West Bengal, interacting with inmates, both male and female, including children residing with their incarcerated mothers. His outreach extended to correctional homes in Assam, Bihar, and Tripura. This hands-on approach provided him with invaluable insights into the workings of prisons and the complexities of the prisoner psyche. Beyond his operational roles, Md. Imran Wahab possesses a strong academic background, holding B.Sc., M.A., L.L.B., and M.B.A. degrees. He has also completed Post Graduate Diplomas in Human Rights, Project Management, Corporate Management, Computer Application, Public Administration, Medical Law, Disaster Management, Fire Safety &amp; Hazards Management and Psychology. He has attended Indian government sponsored specialized training in police and management matters in SVPNPA, Hyderabad, IIM, Ahmedabad and Singapore. He is the author of the books 'Police Investigation &amp; Allied Matters' and 'Alternative Dispute Resolution: Evolving Trends and Innovations' demonstrating his commitment to knowledge sharing within the law enforcement field. As an observer for the Election Commission of India, he has gained firsthand experience in conducting assembly elections and bye-elections in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Bihar, and Tripura (twice). This exposure has given him a deep understanding of election management and the Election Commission's operations. He has also served as Chairman and as a member of various recruitment boards for the selection of police personnel in Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police. Md. Imran Wahab's interests extend beyond law enforcement to include law, politics, international affairs, prison management, and business management. He has authored over 1000 articles on these diverse topics, reflecting his intellectual curiosity and desire to contribute to public discourse. He is also a research scholar in law and has contributed articles to the Indian Police Journal, National Crime Record Bureau Journal, SVP National Police Academy Journal, and International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research etc. Currently, he serves as IGP, Provisioning, West Bengal.","url":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/author\/md-imranwahab\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12085","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12085"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12085\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12085"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12085"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12085"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}