Intellectual Property Rights - Law and Practice · Copyrights

Copyright Office and Registrar of Copyrights Under the Copyright Act

Updated 11 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The Copyright Office is the office set up under Section 9 of the Copyright Act, 1957, under the control of the Registrar of Copyrights. The Central Government appoints the Registrar and may appoint Deputy Registrars (Section 10). The Registrar keeps the Register of Copyrights and has civil court powers on listed matters (Section 74).

Understand Copyright Office and Registrar of Copyrights

Copyright arises on creation of a work. You do not need registration for it to exist. But the law needs a public record and an authority to run it. That is the role of the Copyright Office and the Registrar of Copyrights.

Copyright Office (Section 9). The Act establishes an office called the Copyright Office. It is under the immediate control of the Registrar of Copyrights. The Registrar acts under the superintendence and direction of the Central Government. The Office has its own seal.

Registrar and Deputy Registrars (Section 10). The Central Government must appoint a Registrar of Copyrights. It may appoint one or more Deputy Registrars. A Deputy Registrar works under the Registrar's superintendence and direction. He discharges only those functions of the Registrar that the Registrar assigns to him from time to time. When he does so, any reference in the Act to the Registrar includes him.

What the Registrar does. The Registrar's office keeps the Register of Copyrights (Section 44). The Register is prima facie evidence of the particulars entered in it. Copies of entries certified by the Registrar and sealed with the Copyright Office seal are admissible in all courts without further proof or production of the original (Section 48). The Registrar also receives notices of relinquishment of copyright, and must have them published in the Official Gazette (Section 21). On a notice, the Registrar must also post it on the Copyright Office website within fourteen days of Gazette publication, to stay in the public domain for not less than three years.

Quasi-judicial powers and appeals. Under Section 74 the Registrar has the powers of a civil court, when trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, on specified matters. An aggrieved person can appeal to the High Court against the Registrar's final decision or order (Section 72). Money orders of the Registrar are executable as a decree (Section 75).

Key rules to remember

Copyright Office (Section 9): Established under the Act; immediate control of Registrar; Registrar acts under Central Government's superintendence and direction; has a seal; Remember the three layers: Office, Registrar, Central Government.
Appointment (Section 10(1)): Central Government: must appoint a Registrar; may appoint one or more Deputy Registrars; Registrar is mandatory. Deputy Registrars are optional.
Deputy Registrar's functions (Section 10(2)): Functions assigned by the Registrar, under his superintendence and direction; reference to Registrar includes Deputy Registrar when so discharging; A Deputy Registrar has no independent powers. He acts only on assignment.
Civil court powers (Section 74): Summoning and examining on oath; discovery and production of documents; evidence on affidavits; commissions for examining witnesses or documents; requisitioning public records; any other prescribed matter; Six matters. Local limits for enforcing attendance of witnesses: territory of India.
Appeal (Section 72): Final decision or order of Registrar → High Court within 3 months; single Judge; further appeal to Bench within 3 months; Time taken to get a certified copy is excluded. The single Judge may refer the appeal to a Bench at any stage.
Register as evidence (Section 48): Register = prima facie evidence of particulars entered; certified, sealed copies admissible without further proof; Prima facie means rebuttable, not conclusive.
Money orders (Section 75): Registrar's order for payment of money, on his certificate, is deemed a decree of a civil court; Executable like a civil court decree.

How to solve Copyright Office and Registrar of Copyrights questions

Questions on this topic are usually short-answer or case-based. Use one approach each time: identify the provision, apply it to the facts, then conclude.

1Read the facts and identify who is acting: the Central Government, the Registrar, a Deputy Registrar, or a private person.
2Decide which section applies: Section 9 (Office), Section 10 (appointment and Deputy Registrars), Section 44 or 48 (Register), Section 74 (powers), Section 72 (appeal), or Section 75 (execution).
3State the rule in plain words, with its conditions. For example, a Deputy Registrar acts only on functions assigned by the Registrar.
4Apply the rule to the facts. Check who made the appointment, what was assigned, and what the time limits are.
5Check the time limits and forum for any challenge: three months, High Court, single Judge, then Bench.
6Write a clear conclusion in one or two lines, and add the practical point, such as getting a certified, sealed copy for court use.

Quickest way: Three-question check

When to use it: Use when you have only a few minutes for a short note or a part of a case question.

Who appoints? The Central Government. Registrar is mandatory, Deputy Registrars optional.
Who controls the Office? The Registrar, under the Central Government's superintendence and direction.
What is the power or remedy? Civil court powers on listed matters (Section 74), appeal to the High Court within three months (Section 72), and decree-like execution of money orders (Section 75).

Common mistakes in Copyright Office and Registrar of Copyrights

Saying a Deputy Registrar has all the powers of the Registrar by default.
Students read the words 'any reference to the Registrar includes a Deputy Registrar' and stop there.
Fix: Add the condition: only when he is discharging functions assigned by the Registrar, under the Registrar's superintendence and direction.
Writing that the Registrar is appointed by the President or by the Copyright Board.
Confusion with other statutes and old Board provisions.
Fix: Section 10 says the Central Government appoints the Registrar and Deputy Registrars.
Saying that appeals from the Registrar go to the Appellate Board.
Older material mentions the Copyright Board and Appellate Board.
Fix: Under the current Section 72 the appeal lies to the High Court within three months of the order.
Treating the Register of Copyrights as conclusive proof.
Students assume an official register cannot be questioned.
Fix: Section 48 makes it only prima facie evidence. It can be rebutted.
Forgetting that appointing Deputy Registrars is optional.
The words 'Registrar and Deputy Registrars' are read together.
Fix: The Government 'shall' appoint a Registrar and 'may' appoint Deputy Registrars.
Stating that Section 74 powers are general powers of a civil court.
Students shorten the rule while memorising.
Fix: The powers cover only listed matters, when trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. List them: summoning, discovery, affidavits, commissions, public records, other prescribed matters.

Worked examples

Example 1

The Central Government appointed Ms. Rao as Registrar of Copyrights and Mr. Iyer as a Deputy Registrar. The Registrar did not assign any function to Mr. Iyer. Mr. Iyer passed a final order on an application. Discuss the validity of the order.

Show the solution

Provision: Under Section 10(1) the Central Government appoints the Registrar and may appoint Deputy Registrars. Both appointments here are valid.
Under Section 10(2), a Deputy Registrar discharges only such functions of the Registrar as the Registrar assigns to him from time to time, under the Registrar's superintendence and direction.
Application: No function was assigned to Mr. Iyer. The Act does not give him independent powers. The reference to the Registrar includes a Deputy Registrar only when he is discharging assigned functions.
Conclusion: The order is without authority, as the Deputy Registrar acted without any assignment.

Answer: Mr. Iyer's order is not valid, because under Section 10(2) a Deputy Registrar can act only on functions assigned by the Registrar. Ms. Rao can assign the function first, and the matter can then be decided properly.

Example 2

Meera, an author in Pune, is aggrieved by a final order of the Registrar of Copyrights. Advise her on the remedy and the time limit. She received a certified copy of the order 20 days after the order date.

Show the solution

Provision: Section 72(1) allows any person aggrieved by a final decision or order of the Registrar to appeal to the High Court within three months from the date of the order.
Section 72(4): the time taken in granting a certified copy of the order is excluded when calculating the three months.
Application: The 20 days taken to obtain the certified copy are excluded. Meera therefore has three months counted after excluding those 20 days.
Further appeal: The appeal is heard by a single Judge, who may refer it to a Bench at any stage. If a single Judge decides, a further appeal lies to a Bench within three months from his decision or order.
Conclusion: Advise her to apply for the certified copy promptly and to file the appeal in the High Court within the period.

Answer: Meera may appeal to the High Court within three months from the date of the order, excluding the 20 days spent obtaining the certified copy. A single Judge will hear it, with a further appeal to a Bench within three months of the single Judge's decision.

Exam tips

Quote the section number with the rule. Examiners reward the exact provision and its conditions.
Use the words 'shall appoint' for the Registrar and 'may appoint' for Deputy Registrars. This shows precision.
In case questions, write in this order: provision, analysis of facts, conclusion. Add a practical compliance point such as a certified, sealed copy under Section 48.
Learn the six Section 74 matters as a list. A short note on powers often asks for exactly this.
Link this topic with the Register, relinquishment and appeals. Examiners often combine them in one question.

Practice questions from Copyrights

Copyright Office and Registrar of Copyrights in other exams

The same ground in other exams, if you are preparing for more than one or want another angle on it.

CS ExecutiveCopyright Office, Registration and Copyright Board

Copyright Office and Registrar of Copyrights: frequently asked questions

Who appoints the Registrar of Copyrights in India?

The Central Government appoints the Registrar of Copyrights under Section 10(1) of the Copyright Act, 1957. It may also appoint one or more Deputy Registrars.

What can a Deputy Registrar do?

A Deputy Registrar discharges the functions of the Registrar that the Registrar assigns to him from time to time. He works under the Registrar's superintendence and direction. When so acting, a reference to the Registrar includes him.

What powers does the Registrar have under Section 74?

The Registrar has the powers of a civil court when trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, on specified matters. These are summoning and examining persons on oath, discovery and production of documents, evidence on affidavits, commissions, requisitioning public records and any other prescribed matter.

Where do you appeal against the Registrar's order?

Under Section 72, you appeal to the High Court within three months from the date of the final decision or order. Time taken to get a certified copy is excluded. A single Judge hears the appeal, and a further appeal lies to a Bench.