CHENNAI: The Madras High Court held that conferring titles like Mr India, Ms India, or South India for winners of bodybuilding competitions is not violative of the provisions of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act.
Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said in a recent order that as far as the sport of bodybuilding is concerned, it is common knowledge that whoever wins the competition is called Mr or Ms South India or India or World. That is common and specific to the sport.
He stated this does not in any manner mean that it is the use of any national emblem or name of the country for any trade, business, or profession. It is synonymously used to refer to the title winner of such bodybuilding competitions.
The judge pointed out that the law only prohibits the use of the nation’s name or emblem in any trade, business, calling, or profession, or in the title of any patent, or in any trademark or design without the previous permission of the government.
The orders were passed while dismissing the petitions filed by the Puducherry Bodybuilders & Fitness Association praying for restraining a group of individuals from conducting the bodybuilding competitions and conferring such titles to winners.