Patents Act, 1970
29. Anticipation by previous publication
(1) An invention claimed in a complete specification shall not
be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only that the invention was
published in a specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent
made in India and dated before the 1st day of January, 1912.
(2) Subject as hereinafter provided, an invention claimed in a
complete specification shall not be deemed to have been anticipated by reason
only that the invention was published before the priority date of the relevant
claim of the specification, if the patentee or the applicant for the patent
proves-
(a) that the matter published was obtained
from him, or (where he is not himself the true and first inventor) from any
person from whom he derives title and was published without his consent or the
consent of any such person; and
(b) where the patentee or the applicant for the
patent or any person from whom he derives title learned of the publication
before the date of the application for the patent, or in the case of a
convention application, before the date of the application for protection in a
convention country, that the application or the application in the convention
country, as the case may be, was made as soon, as reasonably practicable
thereafter:
PROVIDED that this sub-section shall not apply if the
invention was before the priority date of the claim commercially worked in
India, otherwise than for the purpose of reasonable trial, either by the
patentee or the applicant for the patent or any person from whom he derives
title or by any other person with the consent of the patentee or the applicant
for the patent or any person from whom he derives title.
(3) Where a complete specification is filed in pursuance of an
application for a patent made by a person being the true and first inventor or
deriving title from him, an invention claimed in that specification shall not
be deemed to have been anticipated by reason only of any other application for
a patent in respect of the same invention made in contravention of the rights
of that person, or by reason only that after the date of filing of that other
application the invention was used or published, without the consent of that
person, by the applicant in respect of that other application, or by any other
person in consequence of any disclosure of any invention by that applicant.