Amazon wins interim relief as SC dismisses Lifestyle Equities’ plea in Rs 340 crore trademark battle
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea by Lifestyle Equities, owner of Beverly Hills Polo Club, seeking to enforce a Rs 340 crore damages order against Amazon for alleged trademark infringement. The apex court upheld the Delhi High Court Division Bench’s stay, citing due process lapses and excessive damages beyond the original claim.
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The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea by UK-based Lifestyle Equities CV, the owner of the Beverly Hills Polo Club (BHPC) brand, against Amazon Technologies in the ongoing Rs 340 crore trademark infringement case, Bar and Bench reported. The apex court’s refusal to intervene upholds the Delhi High Court Division Bench’s stay on the massive damages awarded against Amazon, keeping the litigation very much alive.
As per the report, the dispute stems from a 2020 complaint filed by Lifestyle Equities, alleging that Amazon’s private-label fashion line Symbol carried logos deceptively similar to BHPC’s registered trademarks. Cloudtail India, a key seller on Amazon at the time, was also named in the suit.
While Cloudtail admitted liability, Amazon failed to appear before the Delhi High Court and was proceeded against ex parte. A single-judge bench later found Amazon directly liable, ruling that the company’s agreements with Cloudtail went beyond a neutral intermediary relationship. The Court ordered Amazon to pay nearly Rs 340 crore comprising $5 million for corrective advertising, $33.78 million in lost royalties and litigation costs.
However, in July this year, a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court stayed that ruling, pointing out critical gaps in due process. The judges noted that Amazon had not been properly served summons before being held ex parte, and that the damages awarded far exceeded the original claim of Rs 2 crore without formal amendment of pleadings. The Bench also questioned the absence of a clear finding that Amazon directly authorised or affixed the infringing marks.
Lifestyle Equities challenged the stay before the Supreme Court, but Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan dismissed the plea. Importantly, the apex court clarified that its dismissal would not prevent the Delhi High Court from hearing the case on merits.
