Section 50 of the Copyright Act, 1957 - Rectification of Register by High Court
Updated: 21 September 2026
Section 50 of the Copyright Act, 1957 provides the statutory remedy for rectification of the Register of Copyrights. Following the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2021 and Act 33 of 2021, the jurisdiction referred to in Section 50 is exercised by the High Court instead of the former Appellate Board.
What Section 50 provides
The High Court, on an application by the Registrar of Copyrights or by any person aggrieved, shall order rectification of the Register of Copyrights by:
(a) making an entry that was wrongly omitted from the register;
(b) expunging an entry wrongly made in, or wrongly remaining on, the register; or
(c) correcting an error or defect in the register.
The wording above is presented in reader-friendly form. For authoritative statutory text, refer to the official Copyright Act published by the Copyright Office.
Meaning and scope of Section 50
Section 50 is a rectification provision. It enables the High Court to ensure that the Register of Copyrights accurately reflects entries that are legally entitled to remain on the register. The remedy can therefore be used where an entry should have been made but was omitted, where an entry was wrongly made or continues wrongly, or where the register contains an error or defect.
The expression person aggrieved identifies the class of private applicants who may seek rectification. Whether an applicant is a person aggrieved and whether rectification should be ordered depend on the facts, the rights asserted, and the legal basis of the challenged entry.
High Court jurisdiction after the 2021 amendment
Section 50 originally referred to the Copyright Board and later to the Appellate Board. Act 33 of 2021 substituted High Court for Appellate Board with effect from 4 April 2021. Accordingly, current rectification proceedings under Section 50 are brought before the competent High Court. A 2026 order of the Delhi High Court, for example, records a petition under Section 50 seeking expungement of a copyright registration.
Section 49 and Section 50 - important distinction
Section 49 deals with correction of entries in the Register of Copyrights by the Registrar in the circumstances specified in that provision. Section 50, in contrast, confers rectification jurisdiction on the High Court and expressly covers wrongly omitted entries, wrongly made or wrongly remaining entries, and errors or defects in the register.
Register of Copyrights and evidentiary value
Section 44 provides for the Register of Copyrights at the Copyright Office. Section 48 provides that the Register of Copyrights is prima facie evidence of the particulars entered in it and addresses the admissibility of certified copies or extracts. This explains the practical importance of keeping the register accurate.
Who can apply under Section 50?
- Registrar of Copyrights: the Registrar may apply for rectification.
- Person aggrieved: a person who satisfies the legal requirement of being aggrieved by the relevant entry, omission, error, or defect may apply.
Official copyright resources
For current statutory material, registration services, the E-Register, application status, rectification-related notices and other copyright services, use the official Copyright Office resources below.
Copyright Office, Government of India | Copyright Act, 1957 - Chapter X | Search Registered Works | Copyright Application Status
Related provisions
Readers examining rectification should also consider Section 44 - Register of Copyrights, Section 45 - Entries in Register of Copyrights, Section 47 - Form and inspection of register, Section 48 - Prima facie evidence, and Section 49 - Correction of entries.
Disclaimer: This article is for general legal information. Court procedure and the application of Section 50 depend on the facts and applicable High Court rules.