INDIAN COPYRIGHT ACT, 1957

CONTENTS

Introduction 3 Need for Copyright Protection 3 Scope of Copyright 4 Indian Copyright Act, 1957 5 Remedies 10 Cases 12 Conclusion 14 Bibliography 14

INTRODUCTION

The world has entered an era of instant communication. A person sitting in the remotest corner of India can enjoy a live performance taking place anywhere in the world thanks to electronic (parallel) media. Telephone and fax have made it possible to communicate oral or written messages across the globe within seconds. Computer-aided communication technologies such as E-Mail and Internet have added an altogether new dimension to today's communication process by making it more speedy, informative and economical. The mode of communication of different types of information has also undergone a sea change. While all these have made communication among people more effective and efficient both in terms of time and cost, they pose a threat in terms of copyright infringement. Modern communication channels, being intensively relying on a variety of copyrighted products, are liable to be pirated on a large scale if adequate precautions are not exercised.

Need for Copyright Protection

Copyright is the right given by law to the creators of literary, dramatic, musical and a variety of other works. It ordinarily means the creator alone has the right to make copies of his or her works or alternatively, prevent others from making copies of the same. The basic idea behind such protection is the premise that innovation requires incentives. Copyright recognizes this need and gives it a legal sanction. Moreover, commercial exploitation of copyright yields income to the creators and thus enabling pecuniary rewards for an individual’s creativity.

Besides protecting the creative potential of the society, copyright contributes to a nation on the