Compulsory licence for benefit of disabled
Section 31B of the Copyright Act, 1957 deals with compulsory licence for benefit of disabled. Any person working for the benefit of persons with disability on a profit basis or for business may apply to the [ACommercial Court], in such form and manner and accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed, for a compulsory licence to published any work in which copyright subsists for the benefit o The Act came into force on 21 Jan 1958.
1[31B. Compulsory licence for benefit of disabled.---(1) Any person working for the benefit of persons with disability on a profit basis or for business may apply to the 2[ACommercial Court], in such form and manner and accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed, for a compulsory licence to published any work in which copyright subsists for the benefit of such persons, in a case to which clause (zb) of sub-section (1) of section 52 does not apply and the 2[Commercial Court] shall dispose of such application within a period of two months from the receipt of the application.
(2) The 2[Commercial Court] may, on receipt of an application under sub-section (1), inquire, or direct such inquiry as it considers necessary to establish the credentials of the applicant and satisfy itself that the application has been made in good faith.
(3) If the 2[Commercial Court] is satisfied, after giving to the owners of rights in the work a reasonable opportunity of being heard and after holding such inquiry as it may deem necessary, that a compulsory licence needs to be issued to make the work available to the disabled, it may direct the Registrar of Copyright to grant to the applicant such a licence to publish the work.
(4) Every compulsory licence issued under this section shall specify the means and format of publication, the period during which the compulsory licence may be exercised and, in the case of issue of copies, the number of copies that may be issued including the rate or royalty:
Provided that where the 2[Commercial Court] issued such a compulsory licence it may, on a further application and after giving reasonable opportunity to the owners of rights, extend the period of such compulsory licence and allow the issue of more copies as it may deem fit.]
Section 31B, The Copyright Act, 1957 (Act 14 of 1957).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
This section refers to
Referred to by 1
Made under this section, and citing it
1 instrument names this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.
Questions about Section 31B
What does Section 31B of the Copyright Act deal with?
Section 31B of the Copyright Act is headed "Compulsory licence for benefit of disabled". [31B. Compulsory licence for benefit of disabled.---(1) Any person working for the benefit of persons with disability on a profit basis or for business may apply to the [ACommercial Court], in such form and manner and accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed, for a compulsory licence to publishe
How do I find court cases under Section 31B of the Copyright Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Copyright Act 31B, section 31B Copyright Act, section 31B of the Copyright Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 31B of the Copyright Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 52 (Certain acts not to be infringement of copyright), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it. One instrument names it without being made under it, most recently The Copyright Rules, 2013 (2013).
When did Section 31B of the Copyright Act come into force?
Section 31B of the Copyright Act, cited as Copyright Act 31B, came into force on 21 Jan 1958, having been enacted on 04 Jun 1957. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.