Indian Copyright Law
Copyright Act, 1957
Act No. 14 of 1957, dated 4 June 1957 - an Act to amend and consolidate the law relating to copyright in India.
Updated legal position: this section index reflects the post-2021 tribunal-reform framework. Sections 11 and 12 stand omitted, appeals from final decisions or orders of the Registrar of Copyrights under section 72 lie to the High Court, and references formerly made to the Appellate Board have been substituted or omitted in relevant provisions.
This page provides a structured, section-wise index covering copyright ownership, assignment, duration, licences, copyright societies, performers' and broadcasting rights, international copyright, registration, infringement, civil remedies, offences and appeals. Use the linked section pages for detailed statutory text and explanations.
Chapter I
Preliminary
- Section 2 Interpretation
- 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- Section 7 Nationality of author where the making of unpublished work is extended over considerable period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
Chapter II
Copyright Office
Sections 11 and 12: omitted with effect from 4 April 2021 following tribunal reforms.
Chapter III
Copyright
Chapter IV
Ownership of Copyright and Rights of the Owner
Chapter V
Term of Copyright
Section 25: omitted.
- Section 22 Term of copyright in published literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works
- 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
- 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
Chapter VI
Licences
- 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- Section 31A Compulsory licence in unpublished or published
- 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
- 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
Chapter VII
Copyright Societies
- Section 33 Registration of Copyright society
- 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 rights
- Section 36 Submission of returns and reports
- Section 36A Rights and liabilities of performing rights societies
Chapter VIII
Rights of Broadcasting Organisations and Performers
- Section 37 Broadcast reproduction right
- Section 38 Performers right
- Section 38A Exclusive right of performers
- Section 38B Moral rights of the performer
- Section 39 Acts not infringing broadcast reproduction right or performers right
- Section 39A Certain provisions to apply in case of broadcast reproduction right and performers
Chapter IX
International Copyright
- 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 performers
- Section 43 Orders under this Chapter to be laid before Parliament
Chapter X
Registration of Copyright
- 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
Chapter XI
Infringement of Copyright
Chapter XII
Civil Remedies
- 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
- Section 61 Owner of copyright to be party to the proceeding
- Section 62 Jurisdiction of court over matters arising under this Chapter
Chapter XIII
Offences
- Section 63 Offences of infringement of copyright or other rights conferred by this Act
- 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
- Section 65 Possession of plates for purpose of making infringing copies
- Section 65A Protection of technological measures
- Section 65B Protection of Rights Management Information
- Section 66 Disposal of infringing copies or plates for purpose of making infringing copies
- Section 67 Penalty for making false entries in register, etc., for producing or tendering false entries
- Section 68 Penalty for making false statements for the purpose of deceiving or influencing any authority or officer
- Section 68A Penalty for contravention of section 52A
- Section 69 Offences by companies
- Section 70 Cognizance of offences
Chapter XIV
Appeals
Chapter XV
Miscellaneous
- Section 74 - Registrar of Copyrights to possess certain powers of civil courts
- Section 75 - Orders for payment of money passed by Registrar of Copyrights 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