With a view to use technology to enhance transparency and digitally empower the stakeholders, the Indian Copyright Office has released four notifications over the last two months informing the public of its decision to publish a monthly list of fresh applications received by it as well as the entries made in the Register of Copyrights under the various sections of the Copyright Act, 1957.
Key points of the notifications are as follows:
i. Notification dated 31st August 2017
All entries, including particulars of any work made in the Register of Copyrights along with corrections thereof and orders for rectification of the Register shall by published on the Copyright Office's website on a monthly basis from 1st January 2017.
ii. Notification dated 1st September 2017
- The Copyright Office shall publish a list of the copyright registration applications received by it on first Friday of every month.
- Such publication shall serve as notice for third parties who wish to object the said copyright registration in favour of the applicant and are required to submit their objections within 30 days of the publication of the application.
- Further, the applicants are required to submit with the Copyright Office the work/document subject matter of the application within 30 days of the issuance of notice, in absence of which the application would be treated as abandoned.
iii. Notification dated 21st September 2017
A list of the applications in respect of which subject work/documents are yet to be received from the applicant shall be published and maintained on the official website for ease of reference of the applicants.
iv. Notification dated 25th September 2017
All entries, including particulars of any work made in the Register of Copyrights along with corrections thereof and orders for rectification of the Register for the year 2016 shall also be published on the official website on a monthly basis.
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