Copyright
Perspectives on copyright across India and the subcontinent.
16 August 2019
Free Software, Open Source, and the Licences Between Them
Free software is open source; open source is not necessarily free. The distinction sounds academic until you incorporate a component into a product and discover what its licence requires you to release.
12 August 2019
Creative Commons Licences Explained
Four conditions — attribution, share-alike, non-commercial, no derivatives — combine into six licences. Choosing between them decides whether your work can be sold, remixed, or only shared as it stands.
5 August 2019
Band Baaja Baaraat v. Jabardasth: Copying a Film's Expression Is Infringement
Yash Raj Films won its case against an unauthorised remake of 'Band Baaja Baaraat' — the court found 19 points of similarity and a lack of originality. But a six-year delay let the infringing film profit first.
29 July 2019
Raj Rewal: No Moral Right Against Destruction of a Building
The Hall of Nations was demolished, and its architect sued to have it rebuilt under his moral rights. The Delhi High Court held that Section 57 does not extend to total destruction — and that ordering otherwise would restrict the owner's constitutional right to their property.
12 July 2019
India's First Dynamic Injunction: Blocking 'Hydra-Headed' Piracy Sites
When a blocked piracy site simply resurfaces under a new name, must rights holders sue afresh each time? The Delhi High Court's UTV v. 1337x.to introduced India's first 'dynamic injunction' — letting the Joint Registrar extend a block to mirror sites.
21 June 2019
A Guide to Copyright Registration of Cinematograph Films in India
How to register copyright in a cinematograph film in India — what counts as a cinematograph film, the 60-year term, the documents and fee required, and the step-by-step registration and examination process.
20 May 2019
Tips v. Wynk: Streaming Services Cannot Claim a Statutory Licence
Wynk's licence from Tips expired, negotiations failed, and Wynk kept the catalogue — invoking the statutory licence under Section 31D. The Bombay High Court rejected it on five grounds, including that the government circular relied on had no statutory force.
Raja Pannir Selvam · 19 February 2018
Protecting Intellectual Property in the Maldives
The Maldives has no dedicated trademark or industrial-property statute — protection rests on cautionary notices — though a copyright law exists and more IP legislation is developing. The current framework, and where it's heading.
22 December 2017
IPRS and Copyright-Society Status: The 2012–2017 Saga
After the 2012 amendment, IPRS lost its copyright-society registration, throwing its authority to license and sue into doubt. What the confusion was — and how it was resolved when IPRS re-registered in 2017.
1 November 2017
Tamil Nadu Renames Video Piracy Cell as IP Rights Enforcement Cell
Tamil Nadu re-designated its Video Piracy Cell as the Intellectual Property Right Enforcement Cell — a first-of-its-kind single framework covering all IP. What the policy covers, why it matters to a piracy-hit Tamil film industry, and its limits.
22 September 2017
Copyright Office Now Publishes Applications: A Transparency Step
The Copyright Office began publishing a monthly list of all copyright applications received — treating publication as the Rule 70(9) notice, opening a 30-day objection window. A move toward transparency and faster disposal, mirroring the TM and patent journals.
Archana Selvam · 16 June 2017
Last-Minute Film Injunctions: The ₹5 Lakh Warning
A producer waited until three days before Phillauri's release to seek an injunction, having known the release date for a month. Justice Patel refused, found no genuine urgency, and imposed ₹5 lakh in costs — with a warning to everyone else doing the same.