Tariff Scheme by copyright societies
Section 33A of the Copyright Act, 1957 deals with tariff Scheme by copyright societies. Every copyright society shall publish its tariff scheme in such manner as may be prescribed. The Act came into force on 21 Jan 1958.
1[33A. Tariff Scheme by copyright societies.--(1) Every copyright society shall publish its tariff scheme in such manner as may be prescribed.
(2) Any person who is aggrieved by the tariff scheme may appeal to the 2[Commercial Court] and the Board may, it satisfied after holding such inquiry as it may consider necessary, make such orders as may be required to remove any unreasonable element, anomaly or inconsistency therein:
Provided that the aggrieved person shall pay to the copyright society any fee as may be prescribed that has fallen due before making an appeal to the 2[Commercial Court] and shall continue to pay such fee until the appeal is decided, and the Board shall not issue any order staying the collection of such fee pending disposal of the appeal:
Provided further that the 2[Commercial Court] may after hearing the parties fix an interim tariff and direct the aggrieved parties to make the payment according pending disposal of the appeal.]
Section 33A, 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.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Azure Hospitality Private Limited v. Phonographic Performance Limited
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Copyright Act s.33(1) absolute requirement that any person carrying on the business of issuing/granting licences in copyrighted works do so under/in accordance with registration under s.33(3) cannot be diluted by the first proviso or by assignee ownership under s.18(2)/licence power under s.30 — bulk assignee PPL, not registered as a copyright society nor a member of the registered sound-recording society (RMPL), cannot grant public-performance licences at unregulated tariffs; Del HC DB modified single-judge injunction so Azure may play PPL repertoire only on RMPL tariff pending suit (prima facie findings).
On this section: True
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… Further, the right to band themselves into a society is by virtue of Section 33, which mutatis mutandis applies to broadcasters alone. The tariff, therefore, that may be charged under Section 33A of the Copyright Act read with Rule 56 of the Copyright Rules is nothing but compensation that is payable to broadcasters for parting with their copyright in the manner indicated above. This being the case, when TRAI fixes rates and/or interferes with content, it is trespassing into the exclusive domain set out by …
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… Further, the right to band themselves into a society is by virtue of Section 33, which mutatis mutandis applies to broadcasters alone. The tariff, therefore, that may be charged under Section 33A of the Copyright Act read with Rule 56 of the Copyright Rules is nothing but compensation that is payable to broadcasters for parting with their copyright in the manner indicated above. This being the case, when TRAI fixes rates and/or interferes with content, it is trespassing into the exclusive domain set out by …
Questions about Section 33A
What have the courts held on Section 33A of the Copyright Act?
Azure Hospitality Private Limited v. Phonographic Performance Limited (15 Apr 2025) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: True.
How do I find court cases under Section 33A 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 33A, section 33A Copyright Act, section 33A of the Copyright Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Azure Hospitality Private Limited v. Phonographic Performance Limited (15 Apr 2025).
What should I read with Section 33A of the Copyright Act, and has it changed?
3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.
When did Section 33A of the Copyright Act come into force?
Section 33A of the Copyright Act, cited as Copyright Act 33A, 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 17 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.