Administration of rights of owner by copyright society
Section 34 of the Copyright Act, 1957 deals with administration of rights of owner by copyright society. Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed,-- (a) a copyright society may accept from an [author and other owners of right] exclusive authorisation to administer any right in any work by issue of licences or collection of licence fees or both; The Act came into force on 21 Jan 1958.
1[34. Administration of rights of owner by copyright society.--(1) Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed,--
(a) a copyright society may accept from an 2[author and other owners of right] exclusive authorisation to administer any right in any work by issue of licences or collection of licence fees or both; and
(b) an 2[author and other owners of right] shall have the right to withdraw such authorisation without prejudice to the rights of the copyright society under any contract.
(2) It shall be competent for a copyright society to enter into agreement with any foreign society or organisation administering rights corresponding to rights under this Act, to entrust to such foreign society or organisation the administration in any foreign country of rights administered by the said copyright society in India, or for administering in India the rights administered in a foreign country by such foreign society or organisation:
Provided that no such society or organisation shall permit any discrimination in regard to the terms of licence or the distribution of fees collected between rights in Indian and other works.
(3) Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, a copyright society may--
(i) issue licences under section 30 in respect of any rights under this Act;
(ii) collect fees in pursuance of such licences;
(iii) distribute such fees among 2[author and other owners of right] after making deductions for its own expenses;
(iv) perform any other functions consistent with the provisions of section 35.]
Section 34, 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
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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… override the provisions of Section 30 of the Copyright Act which gives an absolute right to an owner of the copyright to grant any interest in the copyrighted work by way of a license." (x) The learned Single Judge has thereafter, referred to Section 34 of the Copyright Act. He holds that the use of the word expression "may accept", in Section 34 implies that the copyright society also had a right not to accept authorisation from the owner. Similarly, Section 34(b) empowered the owner to withdraw the authorisation. It could not have been the intention of the …
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… The object of registration is to aid individual copyright owners so that they are not made to prosecute tortuous proceedings in different parts of the country for the enforcement of the rights against the same person violating their rights. 13. The learned counsel for the plaintiff contended that Section 34(1)(a) of the Copyright Act, 1957 uses the words ―authorisation‖ and ―administer any right in any work‖, which are words of wide amplitude. It was contended that the word ―administer‖ is susceptible of a broad interpretation so as to include control and regulation on behalf of others. A reference was also made to …
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… The said IA 334/2005 has been allowed by a detailed judgment delivered today. The plaint in CS(OS) 1498/2004 has been rejected. The following two questions had been considered in that application:- - 1. Whether, in view of the provisions of sections 33 and 34 of the Copyright Act, 1957, a suit for infringement of copyright would be maintainable at the instance of a registered copyright society in the absence of the owner of the copyright? - 2. Whether, in view of the provisions of section 61 of the Copyright Act, 1957, inasmuch as the owner of the copyright has not been …
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 34
What does Section 34 of the Copyright Act deal with?
Section 34 of the Copyright Act is headed "Administration of rights of owner by copyright society". [34. Administration of rights of owner by copyright society.--(1) Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed,-- (a) a copyright society may accept from an [author and other owners of right] exclusive authorisation to administer any right in any work by issue of licences or collection of licence
How do I find court cases under Section 34 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 34, section 34 Copyright Act, section 34 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 34 of the Copyright Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 30 (Licences by owners of copyright), section 35 (Control over the copyright society by the author and other owners of right), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. One instrument names it without being made under it, most recently The Copyright Rules, 1958 (1958).
When did Section 34 of the Copyright Act come into force?
Section 34 of the Copyright Act, cited as Copyright Act 34, 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.