The Copyright Act, 1957

Central Act · Act 14 of 1957100 provisions51 citing judgments

The enactment

Full text, provision by provision

Every provision below opens in full, free and without an account.

• Section 1 Short title, extent and commencement.1 citing judgment
• Section 2 Interpretation.7 citing judgments
• Section 3 Meaning of publication.
• Section 4 When work not deemed to be published or performed in public.
• Section 5 When work deemed to be first published in India.
• Section 6 Certain disputes to be decided by Commercial Court.
• Section 7 Nationality of author where the making of unpublished work is extended over considerable period.
• Section 8 Domicile of Corporations.1 citing judgment
• Section 9 Copyright Office.1 citing judgment
• Section 10 Registrar and Deputy Registrars of Copyrights.
• Section 13 Works in which copyright subsists.
• Section 14 Meaning of copyright.1 citing judgment
• Section 15 Special provision regarding copyright in designs registered or capable of being registered under the Designs Act, 2000.2 citing judgments
• Section 16 No copyright except as provided in this Act.
• Section 17 First owner of copyright.
• Section 18 Assignment of copyright.
• Section 19 Mode of assignment.
• Section 19A Disputes with respect to assignment of copyright.
• Section 20 Transmission of copyright in manuscript by testamentary disposition.
• Section 21 Right of author to relinquish copyright.
• Section 22 Term of copyright in published literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works.1 citing judgment
• Section 23 Term of copyright in anonymous and pseudonymous works.
• Section 24 Term of copyright in posthumous work.
• Section 26 Term of copyright in cinematograph films.1 citing judgment
• Section 27 Term of copyright in sound recording.
• Section 28 Term of copyright Government works.
• Section 28A Term of copyright in works of public undertakings.
• Section 29 Term of copyright in works of international organisations.
• Section 30 Licences by owners of copyright.
• Section 30A Application of sections 19.
• Section 31 Compulsory licence in works withheld from public.
• Section 31A Compulsory licence in unpublished or published works.
• Section 31B Compulsory licence for benefit of disabled.
• Section 31C Statutory licence for cover versions.
• Section 31D Statutory licence for broadcasting of literary and musical works and sound recording.1 citing judgment
• Section 32 Licence to produce and publish translations.
• Section 32A Licence to reproduce and publish works for certain purposes.
• Section 32B Termination of licences issued under this Chapter.
• Section 33 Registration of copyright society.1 citing judgment
• Section 33A Tariff Scheme by copyright societies.
• Section 34 Administration of rights of owner by copyright society.
• Section 35 Control over the copyright society by the author and other owners of right.
• Section 36 Submission of returns and reports.
• Section 36A Rights and liabilities of performing rights societies.
• Section 37 Broadcast reproduction right.9 citing judgments
• Section 38 Performer’s right.
• Section 38A Exclusive right of performers.
• Section 38B Moral rights of the performer.
• Section 39 Acts not infringing broadcast reproduction right or performer’s right.
• Section 39A Certain provisions to apply in case of broadcast reproduction right and performer’s rights.
• Section 40 Power to extend copyright to foreign works.
• Section 40A Power of Central Government to apply Chapter VIII to broadcasting organisations and performers in certain other countries.
• Section 41 Provisions as to works of certain international organisations.
• Section 42 Power to restrict rights in works of foreign authors first published in India.
• Section 42A Power to restrict rights of foreign broadcasting organisations and performer’s.
• Section 43 Orders under this Chapter to be laid before Parliament.
• Section 44 Register of Copyrights.
• Section 45 Entries in Register of Copyrights.
• Section 46 Indexes.
• Section 47 Form and inspection of register.
• Section 48 Register of Copyrights to be prima facie evidence of particulars entered therein.
• Section 49 Correction of entries in the Register of Copyrights.
• Section 50 Rectification of Register by High Court.
• Section 50A Entries in the Register of Copyrights, etc., to be published.
• Section 51 When copyright infringed.1 citing judgment
• Section 52 Certain acts not to be infringement of copyright.
• Section 52A Particulars to be included in sound recording and video Films.
• Section 53 Importation of infringing copies.
• Section 53A Resale share right in original copies.
• Section 54 Definition.
• Section 55 Civil remedies for infringement of copyright.
• Section 56 Protection of separate rights.
• Section 57 Author’s special rights.
• Section 58 Rights of owner against persons possessing or dealing with infringing copies.
• Section 59 Restriction on remedies in the case of works of architecture.
• Section 60 Remedy in the case of groundless threat of legal proceedings.1 citing judgment
• Section 61 Owner of copyright to be party to the proceeding.
• Section 62 Jurisdiction of court over matters arising under this Chapter.2 citing judgments
• Section 63 Offences of infringement of copyright or other rights conferred by this Act.11 citing judgments
• Section 63A Enhanced penalty on second and subsequent convictions.
• Section 63B Knowing use of infringing copy of computer programme to be an offence.
• Section 64 Power of police to seize infringing copies.1 citing judgment
• Section 65 Possession of plates for purpose of making infringing copies.3 citing judgments
• Section 65A Protection of technological measures.4 citing judgments
• Section 65B Protection of Rights Management Information.
• Section 66 Disposal of infringing copies or plates for purpose of making infringing copies.1 citing judgment
• Section 67 Omitted.
• Section 68 Omitted.1 citing judgment
• Section 68A Penalty for contravention of section 52A.
• Section 69 Offences by companies.
• Section 70 Cognizance of offences.
• Section 71 Appeals against certain orders of Magistrate.
• Section 72 Appeals against orders of Registrar of Copyrights.
• Section 73 Procedure for appeals.
• Section 74 Registrar of Copyrights and Appellate Board to possess certain powers of civil courts
• Section 75 Orders for payment of money passed by Registrar of Copyrights and Appellate Board to be executable as a decree
• Section 76 Protection of action taken in good faith.
• Section 77 Certain persons to be public servants.
• Section 78 Power to make rules.
• Section 79 Repeals, savings and transitional provisions.