The Copyright Act, 1957

1. No person or association of persons shall, after coming into force of the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1994 commence or, carry on the business of issuing or granting licences in respect of any work in which copyright subsists or in respect of any other rights conferred by this Act except under or in accordance with the registration granted under sub-section (3):
   Provided that an owner of copyright shall, in his individual capacity, continue to have the right to grant licences in respect of his own works consistent with his obligations as a member of the registered copyright society:
   Provided further that a performing rights society functioning in accordance with the provisions of section 33 on the date immediately before the coming into force of the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1994 shall be deemed to be a copyright society for the purpose of this Chapter and every such society shall get itself registered within a period of one year from the date of commencement of the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1994.
2. Any association of persons who fulfills such conditions as may be prescribed may apply for permission to do the business specified in sub-section (1) to the Registrar of Copyrights who shall submit the application to the Central Government.
3. The Central Government may, having regard to the interests of the authors and other owners of rights under this Act, the interest and convenience of the public and in particular of the groups of persons who are most likely to seek licences in respect of the applicants, register such association of persons as a copyright society subject to such conditions as may be prescribed:
   Provided that the Central Government shall not ordinarily register more than one copyright society to do business in respect of the same class of works.
4. The Central Government may, if it is satisfied that a copyright society is being managed in a manner detrimental to the interests of the owners of rights concerned, cancel the registration of such society after such inquiry as may be prescribed.
5. If the Central Government is of the opinion that in the interest of the owners of rights concerned, it is necessary so to do it may, by order suspend the registration of such society pending inquiry for such period not exceeding one year as may be specified in such order under sub-section (4) and that Government shall appoint an administrator to discharge the functions of the copyright society .

1. Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed,--
   1. a copyright society may accept from an owner of rights exclusive authorisation to administer any right in any work by issue of licences or collection of licence fees or both; and
   2. an owner of rights 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 --
   1. issue licences under section 30 in respect of any rights under this Act:
   2. collect fees in pursuance of such licences;
   3. distribute such fees among owners of rights after making deductions for its own expenses;
   4. perform any other functions consistent with the provisions of section 35.

34A. Payment of remunerations by copyright society.--

1. If the Central Government is of the opinion that a copyright society for a class of work is generally administering the rights of the owners of the rights in such work throughout India, it shall appoint that society for the purposes of this section.
2. The copyright society shall, subject to such rules as may be made in this behalf, frame a scheme for determining the quantum of remuneration payable to individual copyright owners having regard to the number of copies of the work in circulation:
   Provided that such scheme shall restrict payment to the owners of rights whose works have attained a level of circulation which the copyright society considers reasonable.

1. Every copyright society shall be subject to the collective control of the owners of rights under this Act whose rights it administers (not being owner of rights under this Act administered by a foreign society or organisation referred to in sub-section (2) of section 34) and shall, in such manner as may be prescribed,--
   1. obtain the approval of such owners of rights for its procedures of collection and distribution of fees;
   2. obtain their approval for the utilisation of any amounts collected as fees for any purpose other than distribution to the owner of rights; and
   3. provide to such owners regular, full and detailed information concerning all its activities, in relation to the administration of their rights.
2. All fees distributed among the owners of rights shall, as far as may be, be distributed in proportion to the actual use of their works.

1. Every copyright society shall submit to the Registrar of Copyrights such returns as may be prescribed.
2. Any officer duly authorised by the Central Government in this behalf may call for any report and also call for any records of any copyright society for the purpose of satisfying himself that the fees collected by the society in respect of rights administered by it are being utilised or distributed in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

36A. Rights and liabilities of performing rights societies.-- Nothing in this Chapter shall affect any rights or liabilities in any work in connection with a performing rights society which had accrued or were incurred on or before the day prior to the commencement of the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 1994, or any legal proceedings in respect of any such rights or liabilities pending on that day.