Advocate | Legal Blogger | Judicial Insights & Updates

  By Abhishek Jat, Advocate Background The Madras High Court recently delivered a landmark judgment affirming the constitutional validity of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gaming and Regulation of Online Games Act, 2022, and the Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (Real Money Games) Regulations, 2025. The impugned regulations introduced a ban on online real money gaming during nighttime hours (midnight to 5 AM) and mandated Aadhaar-based Know Your Customer (KYC) verification for all participants. Key Issues and Arguments Petitioners' Contentions: The petitioners, comprising major online gaming companies and player associations, challenged the legislative competence of the state to regulate online games of skill and contended that the restrictions infringed upon their fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(g), and 21 of the Constitution. They argued that the mandatory KYC requirement and the nighttime ban violated the right to privacy as recognized in Justice K.S. Puttaswa...

Madras High Court Grants Interim Anticipatory Bail to Kunal Kamra in Mumbai Police FIR  By Abhishek Jat, Advocate The Madras High Court has extended interim anticipatory bail to stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra until April 7, 2025, in connection with a First Information Report (FIR) registered against him at the Khar Police Station in Mumbai. The allegations pertain to remarks made by Kamra in his recent satirical performance, which purportedly targeted Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The Court directed Kamra to furnish a bail bond before the jurisdictional magistrate as a precondition for securing relief. Legal Context and Grounds for Relief Despite the FIR being lodged in Mumbai, Kamra, a resident of Tamil Nadu, sought refuge under the jurisdiction of the Madras High Court. His counsel, Advocate V. Suresh, presented an urgent plea highlighting the grave threats to Kamra’s safety following the publication of his stand-up routine titled Naya Bharat . The Court...

  Madras High Court Clarifies Jurisdiction in Trademark Rectification Cases: A Landmark Ruling By Abhishek Jat, Advocate In a significant judgment, the  Madras High Court  has provided much-needed clarity on the jurisdictional aspects of trademark rectification petitions under  Sections 47 and 57 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 (TM Act) . The case,  Woltop India Pvt. Ltd. vs Union of India & Others , addressed the critical question of which High Court has the authority to hear rectification petitions concerning trademark registrations. The Court held that the High Court referred to in Sections 47 and 57 is the one exercising  appellate jurisdiction  over the  Registrar of Trade Marks  who made the impugned entry. This ruling has far-reaching implications for trademark disputes and aims to prevent jurisdictional chaos, conflicting decisions, and legal uncertainty. Background of the Case The petitioner,  Woltop India Pvt. Ltd. , f...