M.S. Earth Events India Pvt Ltd, the Bangalore-based company, which procured court orders to stall the finals of Miss Earth India 2016 on 3rd October has posted Public Notice on it’s Facebook Page.

Highlights in the Public Notice

• The company is the exclusive owner of trademark MISS EARTH in India.
• The company sued Star Group for showing snippets of Miss Earth 2003 pageant.
• The company succeeded in obtaining a court order in 2012 which states that no event with name Miss Earth (or it’s combinations/additions) can be conducted or shown in India.
• Court orders were sent to Miss Earth India on or around 21st September 2016.
• The company believes that the finals of Miss Earth India on 23rd September 2016 was postponed due to the order.
• The company states that Miss Earth India filed application for Miss Earth India trademark on 23rd September which means they received the order.  (Mr. Pradeep Maithani posted on Facebook that the company did not receive any court order before 3rd October 2016)
• Miss Earth India title cannot be awarded to anyone and hence the company plans to take legal action against Miss Earth India for naming Rashi Rao as the winner.

 

 

 

Inferences from the Public Notice

• This can be the reason why Miss Earth as a brand is seeing collapse in India.  Femina Miss India dropped the franchise.  Some fans claim that this may be the reason Miss Earth doesn’t honor Indian delegates with placements in spite of being deserving.
• Miss Earth cannot be telecasted in India.  This means India may never be a major market (or even a minor market) for Miss Earth.
• Rashi Rao may face legal action if she chooses to take up Miss Earth India title.  This means there may not be any Miss India at Miss Earth.
• Probably there can be major issues even if a Miss Earth winner visits India and attends some event with her sash.

Long story short, things don’t look bright for Miss Earth & India association and those interested in it.