Cabinet nod to changes in Copyright Bill

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Thursday approved the changes to proposed Copyright (Amendment) Bill. Fresh approval for the proposed legislation was necessitated after the human resource development ministry accepted recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.

The amendments approved by the Cabinet will mean that in authors or lyricists and composers will not assign or waive their right to receive royalties to the assignee of copyright, usually the producer, for the use of their material in media other than films or music recordings (such as mobile phone caller tunes).

The proposed amendments suggest that the royalty will have to be shared on an equal basis, with the author or their legal heirs or a copy right society for collection and distribution. Any other royalty sharing agreement will be considered to be void.