Hereafter, only Kerala State Road Transport Corporation can use the abbreviation of KSRTC. The Central Trade Mark Registry announced its final verdict on Wednesday, in what could end a decades-old legal battle between the transport departments of Kerala and Karnataka.
The transport corporations of the two southern states have been commonly using the five-letter short form on the buses ever since their formation. The name 'KSRTC' has evolved itself into a brand in both the states with thousands of people depending on these public transport systems for their daily commute.
A legal war began in 1994 when Karnataka issued a notice to Kerala against the use of 'KSRTC' on its passenger buses, claiming that it had secured the trademark. However, Kerala approached the Trademarks Registry saying they were the first to use the brand 'KSRTC' on their buses.
After 27 years of legal battle, the Trademarks Registry ruled in favour of Kerala.
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was formed in 1965 while Karnataka started using the abbreviation of KSRTC only in 1973.
KSRTC MD and Kerala Transport Secretary Biju Prabhakar said a notice would now be sent to Karnataka Transport Corporation, asking them to stop using the brand name on their buses.
