Delhi High Court Declares ‘RITZ’ and ‘RITZ-CARLTON’ Well-Known Trademarks, Grants Permanent Injunction

The Delhi High Court has declared ‘RITZ’ and ‘RITZ-CARLTON’ as well-known trademarks under Indian law, granting a permanent injunction against an Indian hotel operator for unauthorized use.

The suit was filed by The Ritz Hotel (Paris) and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company after discovering the use of similar names and domains like www.ritz-hotels.com and www.thehotelritz.com without permission. Despite earlier assurances to stop, the misuse continued.

Justice Amit Bansal held that the brands enjoy global recognition, long-standing use, and strong goodwill.

The court ordered immediate discontinuation of the infringing domains and upheld the plaintiffs’ rights under Section 2(1)(zg) of the Trade Marks Act.