STAR INDIA PVT. LTD. Vs. AIRHDX. COM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This application has been filed by the plaintiffs praying for a Summary Judgment under the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure 1908 (in short 'CPC'), inter-alia, praying for the following reliefs:-

(2.) The plaintiffs have impleaded the Domain Name Registrar as the defendant no.12. The plaintiffs have also impleaded various Internet Service Providers (in short, "ISPs") as the defendant nos. 13 to 21, and the concerned Departments of the Government of India, namely, the Department of Telecommunications (in short, "DoT") and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (in short, "MEITY"), as the defendant nos.22 and 23 respectively. The ISPs and the concerned Government Departments have been impleaded for the limited relief of ensuring compliance with any directions of this Court granted in favour of the plaintiffs.

(3.) The plaintiff no. 1 is a leading entertainment and media company in India. It is the owner of various television channels and by virtue of the necessary uplink and downlink permissions from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, has the sole and exclusive right to broadcast and distribute an extensive portfolio of sixty five channels (hereinafter referred to as, "STAR Channels") in over eight languages. The plaintiff no.1 also produces some of the content that is broadcasted on the STAR Channels. The Star Channels broadcast various sporting events in the field of cricket, football, F1, badminton, tennis, hockey and such domestic and international cricket matches as organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (in short, "BCCI") and the Indian Premier League organized by BCCI, among others.