The Delhi High Court issued interim injunctions in three high-profile passing off suits involving EBC Publishing Pvt. Ltd. and its flagship ‘Coat-Pocket Edition’ of the Constitution of India. The court found strong prima facie cases of trade dress imitation and unfair competition against Professional Book Publishers, Young Global Publications, and Rupa Publications, each accused of mimicking EBC’s distinctive red and black design, gold leafing, and unique packaging to mislead consumers and undercut market price.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora observed that all three defendants bore a striking resemblance to EBC’s iconic black-and-red coat-pocket series, which has been in continuous use since 2009 and enjoys considerable goodwill among lawyers, judges, and the general public. The Court noted that the similarities in colour scheme, layout, font, gold embossing, and placement of titles were likely to cause confusion to an average consumer, thereby amounting to passing off.
The plaintiffs demonstrated that their distinctive edition has been extensively sold and advertised, with over one lakh copies in circulation and a significant reputation in the market. They further alleged financial harm, citing cancellation of a major 18,000-copy order after one of the defendants misrepresented its edition as a cheaper but identical alternative.
Finding a prima facie case, the Court held that irreparable injury would be caused to EBC without protection, and that the balance of convenience lay in their favour. Accordingly, all three defendants has been directed to immediately stop manufacturing, marketing, or selling the impugned editions, recall unsold stock from the market, and remove all listings from e-commerce platforms.
The matter will next be heard on 25 February 2026.
Appearances:
Plaintiff: Mr. Jayant Mehta, Sr. Advocate and Ms. Swati Sukumar, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Raghavendra Mohan Bajaj, Ms. Garima Bajaj, Mr. Shagun Agarwal, Mr. Zeephan Ahmed and Mr. Ritik Raghuvanshi, Mr Kanav Agarwal Advocates
Respondent: None
