CHAPTER II Copyright Office and Copyright Board

CHAPTER II

Copyright Office and Copyright Board

9. Copyright Office. - (1) There shall be established for the purposes of this Act an office to be

called the Copyright Office.

(2) The Copyright Office shall be under the immediate control of the Registrar of Copyrights who

shall act under the superintendence and direction of the Central Government.

(3) There shall be a seal for the Copyright Office.

10. Registrar and Deputy Registrars of Copyrights . - (1) The Central Government shall appoint a

Registrar of Copyrights and may appoint one or more Deputy Registrars of Copyrights.

(2) A Deputy Registrar of Copyrights shall discharge under the superintendence and direction of the

Registrar of Copyrights such functions of the Registrar under this Act as the Registrar may, from time

to time, assign to him; and any reference in this Act to the Registrar of Copyrights shall include a

reference to a Deputy Registrar of Copyrights when so discharging any such functions.

11. Copyright Board. - (1) As soon as may be after the commencement of this Act, the Central

Government shall constitute a Board to be called the Copyright Board which shall consist of a

Chairman and not less than two or more than

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[fourteen] other members.

(2) The Chairman and other members of the Copyright Board shall hold office for such period and on

such terms and conditions as may be prescribed.

(3) The Chairman of the Copyright Board shall be a person who is, or has been, a Judge

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 * * of a

High Court or is qualified for appointment as a Judge of a High Court.

(4) The Registrar of Copyrights shall be the Secretary of the Copyright Board and shall perform such

functions as may be prescribed.

12. Powers and procedure of Copyright Board. - (1) The Copyright Board shall, subject to any

rules that may be made under this Act, have power to regulate its own procedure, including the fixing

of places and times of its sittings:

Provided that the Copyright Board shall ordinarily hear any proceeding instituted before it under this

Act within the zone in which, at the time of the institution of the proceeding, the person instituting the

proceeding actually and voluntarily resides or carries on business or personally works for gain.

Explanation.- In this sub-section "zone" means a zone specified in section 15 of the States

Reorganisation Act, 1956.

(2) The Copyright Board may exercise and discharge its powers and functions through Benches

constituted by the Chairman of the Copyright Board from amongst its members, each Bench

consisting of not less than three members.

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 "Provided that, if the Chairman is of opinion that any matter of importance is required to be heard

by a larger bench, he may refer the matter to a special bench consisting of five members.";

(3) If there is a difference of opinion among the members of the Copyright Board or any Bench

thereof in respect of any matter coming before it for decision under this Act, the opinion of the

majority shall prevail:

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Provided that where there is no such majority, the opinion of the Chairman shall prevail. (4) The

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[Chairman] may authorise any of its members to exercise any of the powers conferred on it

by section 74 and any order made or act done in exercise of those powers by the member so

authorised shall be deemed to be the order or act, as the case may be, of the Board.

(5) No member of the Copyright Board shall take part in any proceedings before the Board in respect

of any matter in which he has a personal interest.

(6) No act done or proceeding taken by the Copyright Board under this Act shall be questioned on

the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in, or defect in the constitution of, the Board.

(7) The Copyright Board shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of

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 [sections 345 and

346 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973], and all proceedings before the Board shall be deemed

to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code.

36. Subs. By Act 38 of 1994, s. 11 for "eight".

37. Certain words omitted by Act 38 of 1994, s. 11 

38. Ins. by Act 38 of 1994, s. 12. 

39. Subs. By Act 38 of 1994, s. 12.

40. Subs. By Act 38 of 1994, 5. 12, for `Copyright Board'

41. Subs. By Act 23 of 1983, s. 6, for certain words (w.e.f. 9-8-1984).INDIAN COPYRIGHT ACT, 1957