Copyright Registration

Copyright

Copyright is a tool made available by the Indian Government to safeguard and promote the works of intellectual origin. Not only this, it also guarantees adequate monetary returns from their work. One reasonable factor of limitation on registration of copyright is that the law protects the material expression of an idea and not the idea in itself. If any litigation arises, the registration establishes the validity and authenticity of the owner’s work and further enables him to claim damages and payment of attorney fees.

The owner of an original work possess the automatic right to claim authorship of his work and the right to deny any amendments in his work that may harm his reputation. Such a claim can be made for original work’s that are tangible and fixed. It is of no-relevance whether it is published or not.

Works protected under the Copyrights Act, 1957 are:

Artistic works

Engravings, photographs, paintings, work of artistic craftsmanship, dramatic works etc

Literary works

Books, Computer Programmes, Compilations, Computer databases etc

Musical works

A series of graphical notations, songs, tunes etc

Sound Recordings

Cinematographic Films

Owner’s Economic Rights:

Right to reproduce, sell, give on hire or make copies of the work

Right to communicate the work to the public

Right to adapt and translate the work

Right to claim for damages upon infringement