Patents Act, 1964

Extension of term of patent.

27.—(1) A patentee may, after advertising in manner provided by rules of court his intention to do so, present a petition to the Court or the Controller praying that his patent may be extended for a further term.

(2) A petition under this section shall be presented at least six months before the time limited for the expiration of the patent:

Provided that the period within which a petition under this section may be presented may, at the discretion of the Court or the Controller, be extended by the Court or the Controller, as the case may be.

(3) Any person may give notice to the Court or the Controller, as the case may be, of objection to the extension.

(4) On the hearing of any petition under this section the patentee and any person who has given notice of objection shall be made parties to the proceeding, and, if the petition is presented to the Court, the Controller shall be entitled to appear and be heard, and shall appear if so directed by the Court.

(5) The Court or the Controller, in making a decision, shall have regard to the nature and merits of the invention in relation to the public, to the profits made by the patentee as such, and to all the circumstances of the case.

(6) If it appears to the Court or the Controller that the patentee has been inadequately remunerated by his patent, the Court or the Controller, as the case may be, may by order extend the term of the patent for a further term not exceeding five years or, in exceptional cases, ten years, or may order the grant of a new patent for such term as may be specified in the order and containing any restriction, conditions, and provisions the Court or the Controller, as the case may be, may think fit.

(7) The Controller may, at any stage of the proceedings before him under this section, refer the petition to the Court and thereupon the petition shall be deemed to have been presented to the Court by the patentee of the invention to which it refers under subsection (1) of this section.

(8) An appeal shall lie from any decision of the Controller under this section.