MUMBAI: The Copyright Board for the entertainment industry will be set up by December 2013. This body will function as per the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012.The three member quasi-judicial body constituted in September 1958 will be headed by a judge with judicial professionals as members, Registrar of Copyright & Director (BP & CR) Copyright Office, GR Raghavender has said.
The board, which will look into issues like license for television, radio industries, will be headquartered in a new building in the capital New Delhi, Raghavender told Radioandmusic.com.
As per the Copyright Act, 1957 (Section 11), the board’s jurisdiction extends to the whole of India. The board is entrusted with the task of adjudication of disputes pertaining to copyright registration, assignment of copyright, grant of licenses in respect of works withheld from public, unpublished Indian works, production and publication of translations and works for certain specified purposes. It is also supposed to hear other cases in other miscellaneous matters instituted before it under the Copyright Act, 1957.
“The board was previously chaired by Justice Ramesh Chandra Chopra. We will appoint new members all from the legal profession. We have not shortlisted the candidates yet. We cannot take anyone from a section of the entertainment industry as there will be clamor from other segments to be included,” he pointed out.
The board will meet in five different zones of the country to facilitate administration of justice to authors, creators and owners of intellectual property including IP attorney’s near their place of location or occupation.