TVS Motors and Bajaj Auto find themselves at loggerheads once again, just inside a courtroom this time round. The Hosur-based two-wheeler manufacturer has moved court over a series of ads carried by Bajaj. TVS claims that the ad carried by Bajaj dealers in Tamil Nadu 'belittles' their product, by claiming that the fuel efficiency of the Bajaj CT100 is better than the TVS XL100.
The Madras High Court has issued a two-week interim injunction on the ad campaigns. As per the court order, the ads compared the fuel efficiency of the two-wheelers "on the basis of false figures". In the interim injunction, the court restrains Bajaj from continuing the ad comparing the fuel efficiency of the CT100 with the TVS XL100 for a duration of two weeks.
TVS Motors filed the case at the Madras High Court nine days ago. Incidentally, nine dealer ads were circulated in Tamil Nadu by Bajaj Auto. The court's decision is based on the specific pointing of a specific demerit in the TVSXL100 by Bajaj Auto. However, no problem was found with both parties trying to emphasise on their own products' qualities. The court order also says that nitty-gritties of the case will be dealt with once Bajaj Auto files its counter.
The court said that Bajaj Auto claimed in its ad that the TVS XL100's fuel efficiency is 50 per cent less than the Bajaj CT100's. The order adds that while "puffing" a company's products up is "permissible", it should not show a rival product in bad light. Also, comparative ads are permissible as long as they do not contain negative overtones, the court added.
Source: Zigwheels.com
