Copyright Act, 1957
31-A. [(Note: Ins. by Act 23 of 1983, S.12
(w.e.f. 9-8-1984)) Compulsory license in unpublished Indian works-
(1) Where in the case of an Indian work
referred to in sub clause (iii) of clause (I) of Section 2, the author is dead
or unknown or cannot be traced, or the owner of the copyright in such work
cannot be found, any person may apply to the Copyright Board for a license to
publish such work or a translation thereof in any language.
(2) Before making an application under sub
section (1), the applicants shall publish his proposal in one issue of a daily
newspaper in the English language having circulation in the major part of thee
country and where the application is for the publication of a translation in
any language, also in one issue of any daily newspaper in that language.
(3) Every such application shall be made in such
form as may be prescribed and shall be accompanied with a copy of the
advertisement issued under sub section (2) and such fee as may be prescribed.
(4) Where an application is made to the
Copyright Board under this section, it may, after holding such inquiry as may
be prescribed, direct the Registrar of Copyrights to grant to the applicant a
license to publish the work or a translation thereof, in the language mentioned
in the application subject to the payment of such royalty and subject to such
other terms and conditions as the Copyright Board may determine, and thereupon
the Registrar of Copyrights shall grant the license to the applicant in
accordance with the direction of the copyright Board.
(5) Where a license is granted under this
section, the Registrar of Copyrights may, by order, direct the applicant to
deposit the amount of the royalty determined by the Copyright Board in the
public account of India or in any other account specified by the Copyright
Board so as to enable the owner of the copyright or, as the case may be, his
heirs, executors or the legal representatives to claim such royalty at any
time.
(6) Without prejudice to the foregoing
provisions of this section, in the case of a work referred to in sub section
(1), if the original author is dead, the Central Government may, if it
considers that the publication of the work is desirable in the national
interest, require the heirs, executors or legal representatives of the author
to publish such work such period as may be specified by it.
(7) Where any work is not published within the
period specified by the Central Government under sub section (6), the Copyright
Board may, on an application made by any person for permission to publish the
work and after hearing the parties concerned, permit such publication on
payment of such royalty as the Copyright Board may, in the circumstances of
such case, determine in the prescribed manner.