Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has decided to explore all legal options and challenge the recent order of the Central Registrar of Trademarks in favour of Kerala Road Transport Corporation to exclusively use the acronym. In a statement here, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who is also Minister for Transport, said: “We have not received the order copy yet. We will discuss with our legal team and explore all possibilities once we receive it.”

KSRTC officials said the transport body plans to take all possible steps to retain their rights over the acronym and are mulling to challenge the order. He said ‘no question of fight with another State and without any conflict in a friendly relationship, the issue will be settled.’ He said private companies will fight for the trademark which will reflect on their business and profit motives . However, KSRTC are State-owned organisations, here only service motive and not fight for the profit motives and more important is safeguard the public service only, he pointed out. Both Karnataka and Kerala have been locked in battle over trademark ownership in Registrar of Trademarks under the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks.