Registration, Infringement and other Substantive Provisions
Registrability and validity of registration
12 Prohibition of registration of identical and resembling trade marks.
1
Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, no trade mark shall be registered in respect of any goods or description of goods that is identical with F2or nearly resembles a mark belonging to a different proprietor and already on the register in respect of—
a
the same goods,
b
the same description of goods, or
c
services or a description of services which are associated with those goods or goods of that description.
2
In case of honest concurrent use, or of other special circumstances which in the opinion of the Court or the Registrar make it proper so to do, the Court or the Registrar may permit the registration F3by more than one proprietor, in respect of—
a
the same goods,
b
the same description of goods, or
c
goods and services or descriptions of goods and services which are associated with each other,
of marks that are identical or nearly resemble each other, subject to such conditions and limitations, if any, as the Court or the Registrar, as the case may be, may think it right to impose.
3
Where separate applications are made by different persons to be registered as proprietors respectively of F4marks that are identical or nearly resemble each other, in respect of—
a
the same goods,
b
the same description of goods, or
c
goods and services or descriptions of goods and services which are associated with each other,, the Registrar may refuse to register any of them until their rights have been determined by the Court, or have been settled by agreement in a manner approved by him or on an appeal (which may be brought either to the Board of Trade or to the Court at the option of the appellant) by the Board or the Court, as the case may be.