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COPYRIGHT

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QUESTION-

EXPLAIN THE LEGAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO AUTHORSHIP AND OWNERSHIP OF COPYRIGHT OF


INDIA.

INTRODUCTION
The concept of ownership and authorship of copyright in India is very distinct in nature and
attracts its own peculiar rights. Authorship and ownership in some cases may be referred to
the same person, thereby, the owner of the copyright may also be the author of the copyright.
The first owner of a copyright in a work is called an author. But sometimes, there may be
certain limitations according to the law, with regard to the right of an author, where the
author(employee) of the work is under a contract of service with an express agreement that
reserves the rights of ownership of the employer. Hence, the concept of authorship and
ownership of the copyright in India is not the same.
WHAT IS AUTHORSHIP OF COPYRIGHT?
An author is an individual who writes, collects, composes, and draws the work in the issue,
although the whole idea of the work was suggested by some other person. The main reason
behind the concept of an author is that he is the originator of a brilliant idea but may or may
not be the copyright owner of the work.
An author may create work on his own or at the instance of another person for any valuable
consideration in the course of employment by another person. In the first case, the author is
the owner of the copyright in the work. Where ownership depends upon the nature of
employment, authorship depends upon the nature of work. But in the case of literary,
dramatic, musical or artistic work which is system generated or computer generated, the
person who creates the work is the author.
According to Section 2(d), as a general rule, the author is the first owner of the copyright in
his work, i.e.,
1. For Literary or dramatic work, the author is the person who creates the work.
2. Musical work- the Composer.
3. Artistic work other than a photograph- the Artist.
4. Photographs- the Cameraman.
5. Cinematographic film and Sound recording- the Producer.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AUTHORSHIP
Section 13(2) describes the following essentials:
i. Published work
ii. Unpublished work
iii. Architectural work
WHAT IS OWNERSHIP OF COPYRIGHT?
Ownership of copyright is different from any other type of ownership in a material form
where the work is fixed. Generally, the creator or author of the work is the owner of the work
and therefore, is entitled to get the ownership of the copyright for the work. A person owning
a book may not be the owner of the copyright of the book.
Example-
If a painting, photograph, or portrait is made at the instance of any other person for a valuable
consideration, such other person is considered the first owner of the copyright.
Therefore, with regard to ownership, any person having any brilliant idea where that person
communicates the idea to a dramatist who later goes on to make a play on the same idea, then
the originator or creator of such an idea has no right in the product as a copyright owner
because copyright ownership subsists only in a tangible form and not in a mere idea.

LEGAL PROVISIONS OF OWNERSHIP UNDER THE COPYRIGHT ACT, 1957


1. Section 17
Section 17 of the Copyright Act lays down the provisions for acquiring ownership of
Copyright. The ownership right is available only if the person qualifies the provisions
of the Copyright Act, 1957.
According to this provision, the author of the work shall be the first owner of the
copyright. Hence, from legal perspectives, the following are the owners of copyright:
i. In the case of musical work and sound recordings, the lyricist, composer,
singer, musician, and any other person who produced the sound recording are
called the owners of the copyright.
ii. In any work done by any journalist, the proprietor or editor may be the owner
of the copyright.
iii. In works produced for valuable consideration at the instance of another person
and also in absence of any agreement to the contrary, the person at whose
instance the work is so produced may be called the owner of that work.
iv. In relation to any literary or dramatic work, the author is considered the owner
of the work.
v. In relation to any work which is computer generated, the owner is the person
who causes the work to be created.

2. Section 18
According to this provision, the owner of a copyright in an existing work may assign
to any person the copyrighted work:
i. Either wholly or partially;
ii. Either generally or subject to any limitation;
iii. Either for the whole term of the copyright or any part thereof.
 SUNIL AGARWAL v. KUMKUM TONDON
(1995) II A.D. Delhi 627
In this case, it was observed by the Hon’ble Court that Section 18 of the Act
confers ownership right in copyright in any kind of assignment. The creator or
author of the work is called the owner of the work and therefore is entitled to get
the copyright for the work.
3. Section 19
According to this provision, the assignment of copyright in any work shall be
considered invalid unless it is in writing signed by the assignor or by his duly
authorized agent. If the period of assignment is not stated, it shall be deemed to be 5
years from the date of such assignment.

JUDICIAL INTERPRETATION OF AUTHORSHIP AND OWNERSHIP IN


COPYRIGHT LAW
 V.T. THOMAS AND OTHERS
V.
MALAYA MANORAMA COMPANY LTD., AIR 1989 (KOL) 49
In this case, the Hon’ble Court held that in case of termination of
employment, the employee is entitled to ownership of the copyright for work
created subsequently and the former employer has no right over such work.

 I will add another case law.

ALL THE BEST. :*

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