What is Patent

A patent in an exclusive right granted by a country to the owner of an invention to make, use, manufacture and market the invention, provided the invention satisfies certain conditions stipulated in the law. Exclusivity of right implies that no one else can make, use, manufacture or market the invention without the consent of the patent holder. This right is available only for a limited period of time. However, the use or exploitation of a patent may be affected by other laws of the country which has awarded the patent.

These laws may relate to health, safety, food, security etc. Further, existing patents in similar area may also come in the way. A patent in the law is a property right and hence, can be gifted, inherited, assigned, sold or licensed. As the right is conferred by the State, it can be revoked by the State under very special circumstances even if the patent has been sold or licensed or manufactured or marketed in the meantime. The patent right is territorial in nature and inventors/their assignees will have to file separate patent applications in countries of their interest, along with necessary fees, for obtaining patents in those countries.

Chapter I

Preliminary

Short title extent and commencement

1. (1) This Act may be called the Patents Act, 1970.

(2) It extends to the whole of India.

(3) It shall come into force on such date* as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint:

Provided that different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act, and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.

Definition and interpretation

2. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, -

"assignee" includes the legal representative of a deceased assignee and references to the assignee of the legal representative or assignee of that person; "Controller" means the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks referred to in section 73; "convention application" means an application for a patent made by virtue of section 135;
"convention country" means a country notified as such under sub section (1) of Section 133; "district court" has the meaning assigned to that expression by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908’ "exclusive licence" means a licence from a patentee which confers on the licensee, or on the licensee and persons authorised by him, to the exclusion of all other persons (including the patentee), any right in respect of the patented invention, and "exclusive licensee" shall be construed accordingly:

"food" means any article of nourishment and includes any substance intended for the use of babies, invalids or convalescents as an article of food or drink;
"Government undertaking" means any industrial undertaking carried on –

(i) by a department of the Government, or

(ii) by a corporation established by a Central, Provincial or State Act, which is owned or controlled by the Government, or

(iii) by a Government company as defined in section 617 of the Companies Act, 1956,1 of 1956 and includes the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and any other institution which is financed wholly or for the major part by the said Council;

"High Court" means,-

(i) in relation to the Union Territory of Delhi, ***the High Court of Delhi;

2[(ii) in relation to the Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Mizoram, the Gauhati High Court (the High Court of Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura);]

(iii) in relation to the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the High Court at Calcutta;

(iv) in relation to the Union Territory of the [Lakshadweep], the High Court of Kerala;

(v) in relation to the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the High Court at Bombay;

(vi) in relation to the Union Territory of Pondicherry, the High Court at Madras;

(vii) in relation to the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana; and

(viii) in relation to any other State, the High Court for that State;

"invention" means any new and useful-

(i)art, process, method or manner of manufacture;
(ii) machine, apparatus or other article;
(iii) substance produced by manufacture,

and includes any new and useful improvement of any of them, and an alleged invention;"legal representative" means a person who in law represents the estate of a deceased person; "medicine or drug" includes-

all medicines for internal or external use of human beings or animals, all substances intended to be used for or in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation or prevention of diseases in human beings or animals, all substances intended to be used or in the maintenance of public health, or the prevention or control of any epidemic disease among human beings or animals, insecticides, germicides, fungicides, weedicides and all other substances intended to be used for the protection or preservation of plants, all chemical substances which are ordinarily used as intermediates in the preparation or manufacture of any of the medicines or substances above referred to; "patent" means a patent granted under this Act and includes for the purposes of sections 44, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 63, 65, 66, 68, 69, 70, 78, 134, 140, 153, 154, and 156 and Chapters XVI, XVII and XVIII, a patent granted under the Indian Patents and Designs Act, 1911;

patent agent" means a person for the time being registered under this Act as a patent agent;

patented article" and "patented process" mean respectively an article or process in respect of which a patent is in force;

patentee" means the person for the time being entered on the register as the grantee or proprietor of the patent;

patent of addition" means a patent granted in accordance with section 54;

patent office" means the patent office referred to in section 74;

person" includes the Government;

person interested" includes a person engaged in, or in promoting, research in the same field as that to which the invention relates;

prescribed" means, in relation to proceedings before a High Court, prescribed by rules made by the High Court, and in other cases, prescribed by rules made under this Act;

prescribed manner" includes the payment of the prescribed fee;

priority date" has the meaning assigned to it by section 11;

register" means the register of patents referred to in section 67;
true and first inventor" does not include either the first importer of an invention into India, or a person to whom an invention is first communicated from outside India.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, any reference –

To the Controller shall be construed as including a reference to any officer discharging the functions of the Controller in pursuance of section 73;

To the patent office shall be construed as including a reference to any branch office of the patent office.

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Chapter II

Invention not Patentable

3. What are not inventions

The following are not inventions within the meaning of this Act, -

an invention which is frivolous or which claims anything obvious contrary to well established natural laws; an invention the primary or intended use of which would be contrary to law or morality or injurious to public health; the mere discovery of a scientific principle or the formulation of an abstract theory; the mere discovery of any new property of new use for a known substance or of the mere use of a known process, machine or apparatus unless such known process results in a new product or employs at least one new reactant; a substance obtained by a mere admixture resulting only in the aggregation of the properties of the components thereof or a process for producing such substance;
the mere arrangement or re-arrangement or duplication of known devices each functioning independently of one another in a known way; a method or process of testing applicable during the process of manufacture for rendering the machine, apparatus or other equipment more efficient or for the improvement or restoration of the existing machine, apparatus or other equipment or for the improvement or control of manufacture;
a method of agriculture or horticulture; any process for the medicinal, surgical, curative, prophylactic or other treatment of human beings or any process for a similar treatment of animals or plants to render them free of disease or to increase their economic value or that of their products.

4. Inventions relating to atomic energy not patentable

No patent shall be granted in respect of an invention relating to atomic energy falling within sub-section (1) of Section 20 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

33 of 1962

5. Inventions where only methods or processes of manufacture patentable

(1) In the case of inventions-

claiming substances intended for use, or capable of being used, as food or as medicine or drug, or relating to substances prepared or produced by chemical processes (including alloys, optical glass, semi-conductors and inter-metallic compounds), no patent shall be granted in respect of claims for the substances them selves, but claims for the methods or processes of manufacture shall be patentable.

[(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), a claim for patent of an invention for a substance itself intended for use, or capable of being used, as medicine or drug, except the medicine or drug specified under sub-clause (v) of clause (1) of sub-section (1) of section 2, may be made and shall be dealt, without prejudice to the other provisions of this Act, in the manner provided in Chapter IVA.]

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Chapter III

Applications For Patents

6. Persons entitled to apply for patents

(1) Subject to the provisions contained in section 134, an application for a patent for an invention may be made by any of the following persons, that is to say, -

by any person claiming to be the true and first inventor of the invention;
by any person being the assignee of the person claiming to be the true and first inventor in respect of the right to make such an application;
by the legal representative of any deceased person who immediately before his death was entitled to make such an application.
(2) An application under sub-section (1) may be made by any of the persons preferred to therein either alone or jointly with any other person.

7. Form of Application

(1) Every application for a patent shall be for one invention only and shall be made in the prescribed form and filed in the patent office.

(2) Where the application is made by virtue of an assignment of the right to apply for a patent for the invention, there shall be furnished with the application, or within such period as may be prescribed after the filing of the application, proof of the right to make the application.

(3) Every application under this section shall state that the applicant is in possession of the invention and shall name the owner claiming to be the true and first inventor; and where the person so claiming is not the applicant or one of the applicants, the application shall contain a declaration that the applicant believes the person so named to be the true and first inventor.

(4) Every such application (not being a convention application) shall be accompanied by a provisional or a complete specification.

8. Information and Undertaking Regarding Foreign Applications

(1) Where an applicant for a patent under this Act is prosecuting either alone or jointly with any other person an application for a patent in any country outside India in respect of the same or substantially the same invention, or where to his knowledge such an application is being prosecuted by some person through whom he claims or by some person deriving title from him, he shall file along with his application -

a statement setting out the name of the country where the application is being prosecuted, the serial number and date of filing of the application and such other particulars as may be prescribed; and an undertaking that, up to the date of the acceptance of his complete specification filed in India, he would keep the Controller informed in writing, from time to time, of details of the nature referred to in clause (a) in respect of every other application relating to the same or substantially the same invention, if any, filed in any country outside India subsequently to the filing of the statement referred to in the aforesaid clause, within the prescribed time. (2) The Controller may also require the applicant to furnish, as far as may be available to the applicant, details relating to the objections, if any, taken to any such application as is referred to in sub-section (1) on the ground that the invention is lacking in novelty or patentability, the amendments effected in the specifications, the claims allowed in respect thereof and such other particulars as he may require.

9. Provisional and complete specifications

(1) Where an application for a patent (not being a convention application) is accompanied by a provisional specification, a complete specification shall be filed within twelve months from the date of filing of the application, and if the complete specification is not so filed the application shall be deemed to be abandoned:

Provided that the complete specification may be filed at any time after twelve months but within fifteen months from the date aforesaid, if a request to that effect is made to the Controller and the prescribed fee is paid on or before the date on which the complete specification is filed.

(2) Where two or more applications in the name of the same applicant are accompanied by provisional specifications in respect of inventions which are cognate or of which one is a modification of another and the Controller is of opinion that the whole of such inventions are such as to constitute a single invention and may properly be included in one patent, he may allow one complete specification to be filed in respect of all such provisional specifications.

(3) Where an application for a patent (not being a convention application) is accompanied by a specification purporting to be a complete specification, the Controller may, if the applicant so requests at any time before the acceptance of the specification, direct that such specification shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as a provisional specification and proceed with the application accordingly.

(4) Where a complete specification has been filed in pursuance of an application for a patent accompanied by a provisional specification or by a specification treated by virtue of a direction under sub-section (3) as a provisional specification, the Controller may, if the applicant so requests at any time before the acceptance of the complete specification, cancel the provisional specification and post-date the application to the date of filing of the complete specification.

10 Contents of specifications

(1) Every specification, whether provisional or complete, shall describe the invention and shall begin with a title sufficiently indicating the subject-matter to which the invention relates.

(2) Subject to any rules that may be made in this behalf under this Act, drawings may, and shall, if the Controller so requires, be supplied for the purposes of any specification, whether complete or provisional; and any drawings so supplied shall, unless the Controller otherwise directs, be deemed to form part of the specification, and references in this Act to a specification shall be construed accordingly.

(3) If, in any particular case, the Controller considers that an application should be further supplemented by a model or sample of anything illustrating the invention or alleged to constitute an invention, such model or sample as he may require shall be furnished before the acceptance of the application, but such model or sample shall not be deemed to form part of the specification.

(4) Every complete specification shall-fully and particularly describe the invention and its operation or use and the method by which it is to be performed; disclose the best method of performing the invention which is known to the applicant and for which he is entitled to claim protection; and end with a claim or claims defining the scope of the invention for which protection is claimed.

(5) The claim or claims of a complete specification shall relate to a single invention, shall be clear and succinct and shall be fairly based on the matter disclosed in the specification and shall, in the case of an invention such as is referred to in section 5, relate to a single method or process of manufacture.

(6) A declaration as to the inventorship of the invention shall, in such cases as may be prescribed, be furnished in the prescribed form with the complete specification or within such period as may be prescribed after the filing of that specification.

(7) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section, a complete specification filed after a provisional specification may include claims in respect of developments of, or additions to, the invention which was described in the provisional specification, being developments or additions in respect of which the applicant would be entitled under the provisions of section 6 to make a separate application for a patent.

11. Priority Dates of Claims of a Complete Specification

(1) There shall be a priority date for each claim of a complete specification.

(2) Where a complete specification is filed in pursuance of a single application accompanied by -a provisional specification; or a specification which is treated by virtue of a direction under sub-section (3) of section 9 as a provisional specification,and the claim is fairly based on the matter disclosed in the specification referred to in clause (a) or clause (b), the priority date of that claim shall be the date of the filing of the relevant specification.

(3) Where the complete specification is filed or proceeded with in pursuance of two or more applications accompanied by such specifications as are mentioned in sub-section (2) and the claim is fairly based on the matter disclosed -in one of those specifications, the priority date of that claim shall be the date of the filing of the application accompanied by that specification; partly in one and partly in another, the priority date of that claim shall be the date of the filing of the application accompanied by the specification of the later date.

(4) Where the complete specification has been filed in pursuance of a further application made by virtue of sub-section (1) of section 16 and the claim is fairly based on the matter disclosed in any of the earlier specifications, provisional or complete, as the case may be, the priority date of that claim shall be the date of the filing of that specification in which the matter was first disclosed.

(5) Where, under the foregoing provisions of this section, any claim of a complete specification would, but for the provisions of this sub-section, have two or more priority dates, the priority date of that claim shall be the earlier or earliest of those dates.

(6) In any case to which sub-sections (2), (3), (4) and (5) do not apply, the priority date of a claim shall, subject to the provisions of section 137, be the date of filing of the complete specification.

(7) The reference to the date of the filing of the application or of the complete specification in this section shall, in cases where there has been a post-dating under section 9 or section 17 or, as the case may be, an ante-dating under section 16, be a reference to the date as so post-dated or ante-dated.

(8) A claim in a complete specification of a patent shall not be invalid by reason only of -

the publication or use of the invention so far as claimed in that claim on or after the priority date of such claim; or the grant of another patent which claims the invention, so far as claimed in the first mentioned claim, in a claim of the same or a later priority date.

Examination Of Applications

12. Examination of application

(1) When the complete specification has been led in respect of an application for a patent, the application and the specification relating thereto shall be referred by the Controller to an Examiner for making a report to him in respect of the following matters, namely:-whether the application and the specification relating thereto are in accordance with the requirements of this Act and of any rules made thereunder; whether there is any lawful ground of objection to the grant of the patent under this Act in pursuance of the application; the result of investigations made under section 13; and any other matter which may be prescribed.

(2) The Examiner to whom the application and the specification relating thereto are referred under sub-section (1) shall ordinarily make the report to the Controller within a period of eighteen months from the date of such reference.

13. Search for Anticipation by Previous Publication and by Prior Claim

(1) The Examiner to whom an application for a patent is referred under section 12 shall make investigation for the purpose of ascertaining whether the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification -has been anticipated by publication before the date of filing of the applicant’s complete specification in any specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent made in India and dated on or after the 1st day of January, 1912; is claimed in any claim of any other complete specification published on or after the date of filing of the applicant’s complete specification, being a specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent made in India and dated before or claiming the priority date earlier than that date.

(2) The Examiner shall, in addition, make such investigation as the Controller may direct for the purpose of ascertaining whether the invention, so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification, has been anticipated by publication in India or elsewhere in any document other than those mentioned in sub-section (1) before the date of filing of the applicant’s complete specification.

(3) Where a complete specification is amended under the provisions of this Act before it has been accepted, the amended specification shall be examined and investigated in like manner as the original specification.

(4) The examination and investigations required under section 12 and this section shall not be deemed in any way to warrant the validity of any patent, and no liability shall be incurred by the Central Government or any officer thereof by reason of, or in connection with, any such examination or investigation or any report or other proceedings consequent thereon.

14. Consideration of Report of Examiner by Controller

Where, in respect of an application for a patent, the report of the Examiner received by the Controller is adverse to the applicant or requires any amendment of the application or of the specification to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Act or of the rules made thereunder, the Controller, before proceeding to dispose of the application in accordance with the provisions hereinafter appearing, shall communicate the gist of the objections to the applicant and shall, if so required by the applicant within the prescribed time, give him an opportunity of being heard.

15. Power of Controller to Refuse or Require Amended Applications in Certain Cases

(1) Where the Controller is satisfied that the application or any specification filed in pursuance thereof does not comply with the requirements of this Act or of any rules made thereunder, the Controller may either -refuse to proceed with the application; or
require the application, specification or drawings to be amended to his satisfaction before he proceeds with the application.

(2) If it appears to the Controller that the invention claimed in the specification is not an invention within the meaning of, or is not patentable under, this Act, he shall refuse the application.

(3) If it appears to the Controller that any invention, in respect of which an application for a patent is made, might be used in any manner contrary to law, he may refuse the application, unless the specification is amended by the insertion of such disclaimer in respect of that use of the invention, or such other reference to the illegality thereof, as the Controller thinks fit.

16. Power of Controller to Make Orders Respecting Division of Application

(1) A person who has made an application for a patent under this Act may, at any time before the acceptance of the complete specification, if he so desires, or with a view to remedy the objection raised by the Controller on the ground that the claims of the complete specification relate to more than one invention, file a further application in respect of an invention disclosed in the provisional or complete specification already filed in respect of the first mentioned application.

(2) The further application under sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by a complete specification, but such complete specification shall not include any matter not in substance disclosed in the complete specification filed in pursuance of the first mentioned application.

(3) The Controller may require such amendment of the complete specification filed in pursuance of either the original or the further application as may be necessary to ensure that neither of the said complete specifications includes a claim for any matter claimed in the other.

Explanation – For the purposes of this Act, the further application and the complete specification accompanying it shall be deemed to have been filed on the date on which the complete specification in pursuance of the first mentioned application had been filed, and the further application shall, subject to the determination of the priority date under sub-section (4) of section 11, be proceeded with as a substantive application.

17. Power of Controller to Make Order Respecting Dating of Application

(1) Subject to the provisions of section 9, at any time after the filing of an application and before acceptance of the complete specification under this Act, the Controller may, at the request of the applicant made in the prescribed manner, direct that the application shall be post-dated to such date as may be specified in the request, and proceed with the application accordingly :

Provided that no application shall be post-dated under this sub-section to a date later than six months from the date on which it was actually made or would, but for the provisions of this sub-section, be deemed to have been made.

(2) Where an application or specification (including drawings) is required to be amended under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 15, the application or specification shall, if the Controller so directs, be deemed to have been made on the date on which the requirement is complied with or where the application or specification is returned to the applicant, on the date on which it is re-filed after complying with the requirement.

18. Power of Controller in Cases of Anticipation

(1) Where it appears to the Controller that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification has been anticipated in the manner referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 13, he may refuse to accept the complete specification unless the applicant -shows to the satisfaction of the Controller that the priority date of the claim of his complete specification is not later than the date on which the relevant document was published; oramends his complete specification to the satisfaction of the Controller.

(2) If it appears to the Controller that the invention is claimed in a claim of any other complete specification referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 13, he may, subject to the provisions hereinafter contained, direct that a reference to that other specification shall be inserted by way of notice to the public in the applicant’s complete specification unless within such time as may be prescribed, -the applicant shows to the satisfaction of the Controller that the priority date of his claim is not later than the priority date of the claim of the said other specification; or the complete specification is amended to the satisfaction of the Controller.

(3) If it appears to the Controller, as a result of an investigation under section 13 or otherwise, -that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the applicant’s complete specification has been claimed in any other complete specification referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 13; and that such other complete specification was published on or after the priority date of the applicant’s claim, then, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Controller that the priority date of the applicant’s claim is not later than the priority date of the claim of that specification, the provisions of sub-section (2) shall apply thereto in the same manner as they apply to a specification published on or after the date of filing of the applicant’s complete specification.

(4) Any order of the Controller under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) directing the insertion of a reference to another complete specification shall be of no effect unless and until the other patent is granted.

19. Powers of Controller in Case of Potential Infringement.

(1) If, in consequence of the investigations required by the foregoing provisions of this Act or of proceedings under section 25, it appears to the Controller that an invention in respect of which an application for a patent has been made cannot be performed without substantial risk of infringement of a claim of any other patent, he may direct that a reference to that other patent shall be inserted in the applicant’s complete specification by way of notice to the public, unless within such time as may be prescribed -the applicant shows to the satisfaction of the Controller that there are reasonable grounds for contesting the validity of the said claim of the other patent; or the complete specification is amended to the satisfaction of the Controller.

(2) Where, after a reference to another patent has been inserted in a complete specification in pursuance of a direction under sub-section (1) -that other patent is revoked or otherwise ceases to be in force; or the specification of that other patent is amended by the deletion of the relevant claim; or it is found, in proceedings before the court or the Controller, that the relevant claim of that other patent is invalid or is not infringed by any working of the applicant’s invention, the Controller may, on the application of the applicant, delete the reference to that other patent.

20. Powers of Controller to Make Orders Regarding Substitution of Applicants, etc.

(1) If the Controller is satisfied, on a claim made in the prescribed manner at any time before a patent has been granted, that by virtue of any assignment or agreement in writing made by the applicant or one of the applicants for the patent or by operation of law, the claimant would, if the patent were then granted, be entitled thereto or to the interest of the applicant therein, or to an undivided share of the patent or of that interest, the Controller may, subject to the provisions of this section, direct that the application shall proceed in the name of the claimant or in the names of the claimants and the applicant or the other joint applicant or applicants, accordingly as the case may require.

(2) No such direction as aforesaid shall be given by virtue of any assignment or agreement made by one of two or more joint applicants for a patent except with the consent of the other joint applicant or applicants.

(3) No such direction as aforesaid shall be given by virtue of any assignment or agreement for the assignment of the benefit of an invention unless -the invention is identified therein by reference to the number of the application for the patent; or there is produced to the Controller an acknowledgement by the person by whom the assignment or agreement was made that the assignment or agreement relates to the invention in respect of which that application is made; or the rights of the claimant in respect of the invention have been finally established by the decision of a court; or the Controller gives directions for enabling the application to proceed or for regulating the manner in which it should be proceeded with under sub-section (5).

(4) Where one of two or more joint applicants for a patent dies at any time before the patent has been granted, the Controller may, upon a request in that behalf made by the survivor or survivors, and with the consent of the legal representative of the deceased, direct that the application shall proceed in the name of the survivor or survivors alone.

(5) If any dispute arises between joint applicants for a patent whether or in what manner the application should be proceeded with, the Controller, may upon application made to him in the prescribed manner by any of the parties, and after giving to all parties concerned an opportunity to be heard, give such directions as he thinks fit for enabling the application to proceed in the name of one or more of the parties alone or for regulating the manner in which it should be proceeded with, or for both those purposes, as the case may require.

21. Time for Putting Application in Order for Acceptance.

(1) An application for a patent shall be deemed to have been abandoned unless within fifteen months from the date on which the first statement of objections to the application or complete specification is forwarded by the Controller to the applicant or within such longer period as may be allowed under the following provisions of this section the applicant has complied with all the requirements imposed on him by or under this Act, whether in connection with the complete specification or otherwise in relation to the application.

Explanation – Where the application or any specification or, in the case of a convention application, any document filed as part of the application has been returned to the applicant by the Controller in the course of the proceedings, the applicant shall not be deemed to have complied with such requirements unless and until he has re-filed it.

(2) The period of fifteen months specified in sub-section (1) shall, on request made by the applicant in the prescribed manner and before the expiration of the period so specified, be extended for a further period so requested (hereafter in this section referred to as the extended period), so, however, that the total period for complying with the requirements of the Controller does not exceed eighteen months from the date on which the objections referred to in sub-section (1) are forwarded to the applicant.

(3) If at the expiration of the period of fifteen months specified in sub-section (1) or the extended period -an appeal to the High Court is pending in respect of the application for the patent for the main invention, or in the case of an application for a patent of addition, an appeal to the High Court is pending in respect of either that application or the application for the main invention, the time within which the requirements of the Controller shall be complied with shall, on an application made by the applicant before the expiration of the said period of fifteen months or the extended period, as the case may be, be extended until such date as the High Court may determine.

(4) If the time within which the appeal mentioned in sub-section (3) may be instituted has not expired, the Controller may extend the period of fifteen months, or as the case may be, the extended period, until the expiration of such further period as he may determine:

Provided that if an appeal has been filed during the said further period, and the High Court has granted any extension of time for complying with, the requirements of the Controller, then, the requirements may be complied with within the time granted by the Court.

22. Acceptance of Complete Specification

Subject to the provisions of section 21, the complete specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent may be accepted by the Controller at any time after the applicant has complied with the requirements mentioned in sub-section (1) of that section, and, if not so accepted within the period allowed under that section for compliance with those requirements, shall be accepted as soon as may be thereafter:

Provided that the applicant may make an application to the Controller in the prescribed manner requesting him to postpone acceptance until such date [not being later than eighteen months from the date on which the objections referred to in sub-section (1) of section 21 are forwarded to the applicant] as may be specified in the application, and, if such application is made, the Controller may postpone acceptance accordingly.

23. Advertisement of Acceptance of Complete Specification

On the acceptance of a complete specification, the Controller shall give notice thereof to the applicant and shall advertise in the Official Gazette the fact that the specification has been accepted, and thereupon the application and the specification with the drawings (if any) filed in pursuance thereof shall be open to public inspection.

24. Effect of Acceptance of Complete Specification

On and from the date of advertisement of the acceptance of a complete specification and until the date of sealing of a patent in respect thereof, the applicant shall have the like privileges and rights as if a patent for the invention had been sealed on the date of advertisement of acceptance of the complete specification:

Provided that the applicant shall not be entitled to institute any proceedings for infringement until the patent has been sealed.

(Chapter IVA)

Exclusive Marketing Rights

24A. Application for grant of exclusive rights – (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) of section 12, the Controller shall not, under that sub-section, refer an application in respect of a claim for a patent covered under sub-section (2) of section 5 to an Examiner for making a report till the 31st day of December, 2004 and shall, where an application for grant of exclusive right to sell or distribute the article or substance in India has been made in the prescribed form and manner and on payment of prescribed fee, refer the application for patent, to an Examiner for making a report to him as to whether the invention is not an invention within the meaning of this Act in terms of section 3 or the invention is an invention for which no patent can be granted in terms of section 4.

(2) Where the Controller, on receipt of a report under sub-section (1) and after such other investigation as he may deed necessary, is satisfied that the invention is not an invention within the meaning of this Act in terms of section 3 or the invention is an invention for which no patent can be granted in terms of section 4, he shall reject the application for exclusive right to sell or distribute the article or substance.

(3) In a case where an application for exclusive right to sell or distribute an article or a substance is not rejected by the Controller on receipt of a report under sub-section (1) and after such other investigation, if any, made by him, he may proceed to grant exclusive right to sell or distribute the article or substance in the manner provided in section 24B.

Explanation:- It is hereby clarified that for the purpose of this section, exclusive right to sell or distribute any article or substance under this section shall not include an article or substance based on the system on Indian Medicine as defined in clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of he Indian Medicine Central Council Act, 1970 (48 of 1970), and where such article or substance is already in the public domain.

24(B). Grant of exclusive of rights – (1) Where a claim for patent covered under sub-section 2 of section 5 has been made and the applicant has –

where an invention has been made whether in India or a country other than India and before filing search a claim, filed an application for the same invention claiming identical article or substance in a convention country on or after the Ist day of January, 1995 and the patent and the approval to sell or distribute the article or substance on the basis of appropriate tests conducted on or after the Ist day of January, 1995 in that country has been granted or after the date of making claim for patent covered under sub-section 2 of section 5; or where an invention has been made in India and before filing search a claim, made a claim for patent on or after the Ist day of January, 1995 for method or a process of manufacture for that invention relating to identical article or substance and has been granted in India the patent therefor on or after the making the claim for patent covered under sub-section 2 of section 5, and has been received the approval to sell or distribute the article or substance from the authority specify in this behalf by the Central Government, then, we shall have the exclusive right by himself, his agents or licencee to sell or distribute in India the article or the substance on or from the date of approval granted by the Controller in this behalf till a period of five years or till the date of grant of patent or the date of rejection of application for the grant of patent, whichever is earlier.
(2) Where, the specifications of an invention relatable to an article or a substance covered under sub-section (2), of Section 5 have been recorded in a document or the invention has been tried or used, or, the article or the substance has been sold, by a person, before a claim for a patent of that invention is made in India or in a convention country, then, the sale or distribution of the article or substance by such person, after the claim referred to above is made shall not be deemed to be an infringement of exclusive right to sell or distribute under sub-section (1).

Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall apply in a case where a person makes or uses an article or a substance with a view to sell or distribute the same the details of invention relatable thereto were given by a person who was holding an exclusive right to sell or distribute the article or substance.

24C. Compulsory licences – The provisions in relation to compulsory licences in Chapter XVI shall, subject to the necessary modifications, apply in relation to an exclusive right to sell or distribute under Section 24B as they apply to, and in relation to , a right under a patent to sell or distribute and for that purpose the following modifications shall be deemed to have been made to the provisions of that Chapter and all their grammatical variations and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly, namely:-throughout Chapter XVI,-

(i)working of the invention shall be deemed to be selling or distributing of the article or substance;

(ii) reference to "patents" shall be deemed to be references to "right to sell or distribute";

(iii) references to "patented article" shall be deemed to be references to "an article for which exclusive right to sell or distribute has been granted";

three years from the date of sealing of a patent in section 84 shall be deemed to be two years from the date of approval by the Controller for exclusive right to sell or distribute under section 24B; the time which has elapsed since the sealing of a patent under section 85 shall be deemed to be the time which has elapsed since the approval by the Controller for exclusive right to sell or distribute under section 24B; clauses (d) and (e) of section 90 shall be omitted.

24D. Special provision for selling or distribution –

Without prejudice to the provisions of any other law for the time being in force, where, at any time after an exclusive right to sell or distribute any article or substance has been granted under sub-section 91) of Section 24B, the Central Government is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient in public interest o sell or distribute the article or substance by a person other than a person to whom exclusive right has been granted under sub-section (1) of Section 24B; it may, by itself or through any person authorized in writing by it in this behalf, sell or distribute the article or substance. The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette and at any time after an exclusive right to sell or distribute an article or a substance has been granted, direct, in the public interest and for reasons to be stated, that the said article or substance shall be sold at a price determined by an authority specified by it in this behalf.

24E. Suit relating to infringement – All suits relating to infringement of a right under section 24B shall be dealt with in the same manner as if they are suits concerning infringement of patent under Chapter XVIII.
24F. Central Government and its officers not to be liable- The examination and investigations required under this Chapter shall not be deemed in any way to warrant the validity of any grant of exclusive right to sell or distribute, and not liability shall be incurred by the Central Government or any officer thereof by reason of, or in connection with, any such examination or investigation or any report or other proceedings consequent thereon.]

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Chapter V

Opposition to Grant Of Patent

25. Opposition to Grant of Patent

(1) At any time within four months from the date of advertisement of the acceptance of a complete specification under this Act (or within such further period not exceeding one month in the aggregate as the Controller may allow on application made to him in the prescribed manner before the expiry of the four months aforesaid) any person interested may give notice to the Controller of opposition to the grant of the patent on any of the following grounds, namely: -that the applicant for the patent or the person under or through whom he claims, wrongfully obtained the invention or any part thereof from him or from a person under or through whom he claims; that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification has been published before the priority date of the claim – in any specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent made in India on or after the 1st day of January, 1912; or in India or elsewhere, in any other document:
Provided that the ground specified in sub-clause (ii) shall not be available where such publication does not constitute an anticipation of the invention by virtue of sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) of section 29;that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification is claimed in a claim of a complete specification published on or after the priority date of the applicant’s claim and filed in pursuance of an application for a patent in India, being a claim of which the priority date is earlier than that of the applicant’s claim; that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification was publicly known or publicly used in India before the priority date of that claim. Explanation – For the purposes of this clause, an invention relating to a process for which a patent is claimed shall be deemed to have been publicly known or publicly used in India before the priority date of the claim if a product made by that process had already been imported into India before that date except where such importation has been for the purpose of reasonable trial or experiment only;

that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification is obvious and clearly does not involve any inventive step, having regard to the matter published as mentioned in clause (b) or having regard to what was used in India before the priority date of the applicant’s claim; that the subject of any claim of the complete specification is not an invention within the meaning of this Act, or is not patentable under this Act; that the complete specification does not sufficiently and clearly describe the invention or the method by which it is to be performed; that the applicant has failed to disclose to the Controller the information required by section 8 or has furnished the information which in any material particular was false to his knowledge; that in the case of a convention application, the application was not made within twelve months from the date of the first application for protection for the invention made in a convention country by the applicant or a person from whom he derives title; but on no other ground.

(2) Where any such notice of opposition is duly given, the Controller shall notify the applicant and shall give to the applicant and the opponent an opportunity to be heard before deciding the case.

(3) The grant of a patent shall not be refused on the ground stated in clause (c) of sub-section (1) if no patent has been granted in pursuance of the application mentioned in that clause; and for the purpose of any inquiry under clause (d) or clause (e) of that sub-section, no account shall be taken of any secret use.

26. In cases of "Obtaining" Controller May Treat Applications As Application of Opponent

(1) Where in any opposition proceeding under this Act –

the Controller finds that the invention, so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification, was obtained from the opponent in the manner set out in clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 25 and refuses the application on that ground, he may, on request by such opponent made in the prescribed manner, direct that the application shall proceed in the name of the opponent as if the application and the specification had been filed by the opponent on the date on which they were actually filed;
the Controller finds that a part of an invention described in the complete specification was so obtained from the opponent and passes an order requiring that the specification be amended by the exclusion of that part of the invention, the opponent may, subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), file an application in accordance with the provisions of this Act accompanied by a complete specification for the grant of a patent for the invention so excluded from the applicant’s specification, and the Controller may treat such application and specification as having been filed, for the purposes of this Act relating to the priority dates of claims of the complete specification, on the date on which the corresponding document was or was deemed to have been filed by the earlier applicant, but for all other purposes the application of the opponent shall be proceeded with as an application for a patent under this Act.

(2) Where an opponent has, before the date of the order of the Controller requiring the amendment of a complete specification referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1), filed an application for a patent for an invention which includes the whole or a part of the invention held to have been obtained from him and such application is pending, the Controller may treat such application and specification in so far as they relate to the invention held to have been obtained from him, as having been filed, for the purposes of this Act relating to the priority dates of claims of the complete specification, on the date on which the corresponding document was or was deemed to have been filed by the earlier applicant, but for all other purposes the application of the opponent shall be proceeded with as an application for a patent under this Act.

27. Refusal of Patent Without Opposition.

If at any time after the acceptance of the complete specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent and before the grant of a patent thereon it comes to the notice of the Controller otherwise than in consequence of proceedings in opposition to the grant under section 25, that the invention, so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification, has been published before the priority date of the claim -in any specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent made in India and dated on or after the 1st day of January, 1912; in any other document in India or elsewhere, the Controller may refuse to grant the patent unless, within such time as may be prescribed, the complete specification is amended to his satisfaction:

Provided that the Controller shall not refuse to grant the patent on the ground specified in clause (b) if such publication does not constitute an anticipation of the invention by virtue of sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) of section 29.

28. Mention of Inventor has such in Patent.

(1) If the Controller is satisfied, upon a request or claim made in accordance with the provisions of this section, -

that the person in respect of or by whom the request or claim is made is the inventor of an invention in respect of which application for a patent has been made, or of a substantial part of that invention; and that the application for the patent is a direct consequence of his being the inventor, the Controller shall, subject to the provisions of this section, cause him to be mentioned as inventor in any patent granted in pursuance of the application in the complete specification and in the register of patents:

Provided that the mention of any person as inventor under this section shall not confer or derogate from any rights under the patent.

(2) A request that any person shall be mentioned as aforesaid may be made in the prescribed manner by the applicant for the patent or (where the person alleged to be the inventor is not the applicant or one of the applicants) by the applicant and that person.

(3) If any person [other than a person in respect of whom a request in relation to the application in question has been made under sub-section (2)] desires to be mentioned as aforesaid, he may make a claim in the prescribed manner in that behalf.

(4) A request or claim under the foregoing provisions of this section shall be made not later than two months after the date of advertisement of acceptance of the complete specification or within such further period (not exceeding one month) as the Controller may, on an application made to him in that behalf before the expiration of the said period of two months and subject to the payment of the prescribed fee, allow.

(5) No request or claim under the foregoing provisions of this section shall be entertained if it appears to the Controller that the request or claim is based upon facts which, if proved in the case of an opposition under the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 25 by the person in respect of or by whom the request or claim is made, would have entitled him to relief under that section.

(6) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (5), where a claim is made under sub-section (3), the Controller shall give notice of the claim to every applicant for the patent (not being the claimant) and to any other person whom the Controller may consider to be interested; and before deciding upon any request or claim made under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), the Controller shall, if required, hear the person in respect of or by whom the request or claim is made, and, in the case of a claim under sub-section (3), any person to whom notice of the claim has been given as aforesaid.

(7) Where any person has been mentioned as inventor in pursuance of this section, any other person who alleges that he ought not to have been so mentioned may at any time apply to the Controller for a certificate to that effect, and the Controller may, after hearing, if required, any person whom he may consider to be interested, issue such a certificate, and if he does so, he shall rectify the specification and the register accordingly.

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Chapter VI

Anticipation

29. Anticipation by Previous Publication.

(1) An invention claimed in a complete specification shall not be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only that the invention was published in a specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent made in India and dated before the 1st day of January, 1912.

(2) Subject as hereinafter provided, an invention claimed in a complete specification shall not be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only that the invention was published before the priority date of the relevant claim of the specification, if the patentee or the applicant for the patent proves -that the matter published was obtained from him, or (where he is not himself the true and first inventor) from any person from whom he derives title, and was published without his consent or the consent of any such person; and
where the patentee or the applicant for the patent or any person from whom he derives title learned of the publication before the date of the application for the patent, or, in the case of a convention application, before the date of the application for protection in a convention country, that the application or the application in the convention country, as the case may be, was made as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter:
Provided that this sub-section shall not apply if the invention was before the priority date of the claim commercially worked in India, otherwise than for the purpose of reasonable trial, either by the patentee or the applicant for the patent or any person from whom he derives title or by any other person with the consent of the patentee or the applicant for the patent or any person from whom he derives title.

(3) Where a complete specification is filed in pursuance of an application for a patent made by a person being the true and first inventor or deriving title from him, an invention claimed in that specification shall not be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only of any other application for a patent in respect of the same invention made in contravention of the rights of that person, or by reason only that after the date of filing of that other application the invention was used or published, without the consent of that person, by the applicant in respect of that other application, or by any other person in consequence of any disclosure of any invention by that applicant.

30. Anticipation by Previous Communication to Government.

An invention claimed in a complete specification shall not be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only of the communication of the invention to the Government or to any person authorised by the Government to investigate the invention or its merits, or of anything done, in consequence of such a communication, for the purpose of the investigation.

31. Anticipation by Public Display , etc.

An invention claimed in a complete specification shall not be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only of -the display of the invention with the consent of the true and first inventor or a person deriving title from him at an industrial or other exhibition to which the provisions of this section have been extended by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette, or the use thereof with his consent for the purpose of such an exhibition in the place where it is held; or the publication of any description of the invention in consequence of the display or use of the invention at any such exhibition as aforesaid; or the use of the invention, after it has been displayed or used at any such exhibition as aforesaid and during the period of the exhibition, by any person without the consent of the true and first inventor or a person deriving title from him; or the description of the invention in a paper read by the true and first inventor before a learned society or published with his consent in the transactions of such a society, if the application for the patent is made by the true and first inventor or a person deriving title from him not later than six months after the opening of the exhibition or the reading or publication of the paper, as the case may be.

32. Anticipation by Public Working.

An invention claimed in a complete specification shall not be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only that at any time within one year before the priority date of the relevant claim of the specification, the invention was publicly worked in India -by the patentee or applicant for the patent or any person from whom he derives title; or
by any other person with the consent of the patentee or applicant for the patent or any person from whom he derives title, if the working was effected for the purpose of reasonable trial only and if it was reasonably necessary, having regard to the nature of the invention, that the working for that purpose should be effected in public.

33. Anticipation by Use and Publication after Provisional Specification.

(1) Where a complete specification is filed or proceeded with in pursuance of an application which was accompanied by a provisional specification or where a complete specification filed along with an application is treated by virtue of a direction under sub-section (3) of section 9 as a provisional specification, then, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Controller shall not refuse to grant the patent, and the patent shall not be revoked or invalidated, by reason only that any matter described in the provisional specification or in the specification treated as aforesaid as a provisional specification was used in India or published in India or elsewhere at any time after the date of the filing of that specification.

(2) Where a complete specification is filed in pursuance of a convention application, then, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Controller shall not refuse to grant the patent, and the patent shall not be revoked or invalidated, by reason only that any matter disclosed in any application for protection in a convention country upon which the convention application is founded was used in India or published in India or elsewhere at any time after the date of that application for protection.

34. No Anticipation if Circumstances are Only as Described in Sections 29,30 , 31 and 32.

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Controller shall not refuse to accept a complete specification for a patent or to grant a patent, and a patent shall not be revoked or invalidated by reason only of any circumstances which, by virtue of section 29 or section 30 or section 31 or section 32, do not constitute an anticipation of the invention claimed in the specification.

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Chapter VII

Provisions For Secrecy of Certain Inventions

35. Secrecy direction relating to inventions relevant for defuses purposes.

(1) Where, in respect of an application made before or after the commencement of this Act for a patent, it appears to the Controller that the invention is one of a class notified to him by the Central Government as relevant for defence purposes, or, where otherwise the invention appears to him to be so relevant, he may give directions for prohibiting or restricting the publication of information with respect to the invention or the communication of such information to any person or class of persons specified in the directions.

(2) Where the Controller gives any such directions as are referred to in sub-section (1), he shall give notice of the application and of the directions to the Central Government, and the Central Government shall, upon receipt of such notice, consider whether the publication of the invention would be prejudicial to the defence of India, and if upon such consideration, it appears to it that the publication of the invention would not so prejudice, give notice to the Controller to that effect, who shall thereupon revoke the directions and notify the applicant accordingly.

(3) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-section (1), where the Central Government is of opinion that an invention in respect of which the Controller has not given any directions under sub-section (1), is relevant for defence purposes, it may at any time before acceptance of the complete specification notify the Controller to that effect, and thereupon the provisions of that sub-section shall apply as if the invention were one of the class notified by the Central Government, and accordingly the Controller shall give notice to the Central Government of the directions issued by him.

36. Secrecy Directions to be Periodically Reviewed.

(1) The question whether an invention in respect of which directions have been given under section 35 continues to be relevant for defence purposes shall be re-considered by the Central Government within nine months from the date of issue of such directions and thereafter at intervals not exceeding twelve months, and if, on such re-consideration it appears to the Central Government that the publication of the invention would no longer be prejudicial to the defence of India it shall forthwith give notice to the Controller accordingly and the Controller shall thereupon revoke the directions previously given by him.

(2) The result of every re-consideration under sub-section (1), shall be communicated to the applicant within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed.

37. Consequences of Secrecy Directions.

(1) So long as any directions under section 35 are in force in respect of an application -

the Controller shall not pass an order refusing to accept the same; and
notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no appeal shall lie from any order of the Controller passed in respect thereof :
Provided that the application may, subject to the directions, proceed up to the stage of the acceptance of the complete specification, but the acceptance shall not be advertised nor the specification published, and no patent shall be granted in pursuance of the application.

(2) Where a complete specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent for an inve