Patents Act, 1970
12. Examination of application
(1) When the complete specification has been filed 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,-
(a) whether the application and the
specification relating thereto are in accordance with the requirements of this
Act and of any rules made thereunder;
(b) whether there is any lawful ground of
objection to the grant of the patent under this Act in pursuance of the
application;
(c) the result of investigations made under
section 13; and
(d) 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.