The Copyright ( Amendment ) Bill, 2010

The Copyright ( Amendment ) Bill, 2010 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on April 19, 2010. The Statement of Objects and Reasons of the bill was to amend the existing Copyright Act, 1957 that is set to be amended for clarity — to remove operational difficulties in the context of digital technologies and the Internet.

Copyright on digital technologies and Internet is followed worldwide based on the two treaties of World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) — WIPO Copyright Treaty, 1996 and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, 1996. The international standard set by them in 1996 was intended to counteract the challenges relating to the dissemination of protected material over digital networks.

India is yet to sign either of the two treaties. The initial approach was voluntarily to make domestic laws available to comply with the international laws and institutions. The propaganda behind the Copyright (Amendment ) Bill, 2010 is to encourage creativity for the promotion of culture of the enterprise as a unit and innovation as an individual.

The Bill is looking forward to insert Section 52 (1) which reads: “The adaptation, reproduction, issue of copies or communication to the public of any work in a format, including sign language, specially designed only for the use of persons suffering from a visual, aural or other disability that prevents their enjoyment of such work in their normal format”.

Social activists associated with National Access Alliance (an NGO) representing differently abled persons, have expressed dissatisfaction over draft of the provision. HRD Ministry in consultation with the Standing Committee of Parliament is finding a way out to reach a definite point on the issue.

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