The protracted legal spat between fast-moving consumer goods players Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and the Chennai-based CavinKare over identical formulations of their respective fairness creams Fair & Lovely and Fairever has come to an end with the Madras High Court ruling that the patent for HUL’s Fair & Lovely has expired and anyone can now use the process technology provided under the said patent specifications, reports Sajan C Kumar in Chennai.

The court said the lapsed patent would no longer come under the purview of the Patents Act, 1970, and as a result it has come into the public domain. By virtue of being it in the public domain, every person who is intending to use the same was entitled to do so, said justice MM Sundresh, decreeing a suit filed by the Indian company.