Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday asked the State Bank of India to explain reasons for permitting SBI Life Insurance Co. Ltd and SBI General Insurance Co. Ltd to use the bank’s logo to promote its insurance business.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Shameem Akhter was dealing with a petition by one V.B. Krishna Murthy seeking to declare as illegal the SBI permitting SBI Life Insurance and General Insurance companies to use its logo.
The petitioner brought to the notice of the court that SBI Life Insurance Co. Ltd and SBI General Insurance Co. Ltd were private companies and they don’t have the authority to use the official logo of a nationalised bank.
He submitted that when he sought information from the SBI under the Right to Information Act, the Bank replied that it had not permitted anyone to use its logo.
He said that there was prohibition on usage of national emblems like Ashok Chakra and Ashok Pillar by private persons or institutions.
Reacting to the submissions of the petitioner, the bench said that there is a need to examine whether the logo of the SBI is also in the prohibitory list or not.
While issuing notices to the SBI and other respondents concerned, the bench adjourned the case for three weeks.
