{"id":5598,"date":"2025-07-01T10:55:28","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T10:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/?p=5598"},"modified":"2025-07-01T10:55:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T10:55:34","slug":"an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/","title":{"rendered":"An assignee of sound recording copyrights retains the right to sue for infringement and damages under Section 55"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Novex_Communication_Pvt_Ltd_v_Lemon_Tree_Hotels_Ltd_Anr\"><\/span>Novex Communication Pvt. Ltd. v. Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd. &amp; Anr.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Court:<\/strong> High Court of Delhi at New Delhi<br \/>\n<strong>Date of Order:<\/strong> January 11, 2019<br \/>\n<strong>Case No.:<\/strong> RFA No. 18\/2019<br \/>\n<strong>Citation:<\/strong> AIRONLINE 2019 DEL 96<br \/>\n<strong>Judge:<\/strong> Hon\u2019ble Mr. Justice Valmiki J. Mehta<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Novex_Communication_Pvt_Ltd_v_Lemon_Tree_Hotels_Ltd_Anr\" >Novex Communication Pvt. Ltd. v. Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd. &amp; Anr.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Introduction\" >Introduction<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Detailed_Factual_Background\" >Detailed Factual Background<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Detailed_Procedural_Background\" >Detailed Procedural Background<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Issues_Involved_in_the_Case\" >Issues Involved in the Case<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Detailed_Submission_of_Parties\" >Detailed Submission of Parties<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Novexs_Argument\" >Novex\u2019s Argument:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Lemon_Trees_Argument\" >Lemon Tree\u2019s Argument:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Judgments_Cited_and_Their_Context\" >Judgments Cited and Their Context<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Detailed_Reasoning_and_Analysis\" >Detailed Reasoning and Analysis<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Final_Decision\" >Final Decision<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/an-assignee-of-sound-recording-copyrights-retains-the-right-to-sue-for-infringement-and-damages-under-section-55\/#Law_Settled_in_This_Case\" >Law Settled in This Case<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction\"><\/span>Introduction<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the realm of intellectual property law, the case of <em>Novex Communication Pvt. Ltd. v. Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd. &amp; Anr.<\/em>, decided by the High Court of Delhi, stands as a significant exploration of copyright ownership and enforcement rights under the Copyright Act, 1957. This legal battle pits Novex Communication Pvt. Ltd., a company claiming ownership of sound recording copyrights through assignments, against Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd., accused of unauthorized use of these works. At its heart, the case grapples with the interplay between individual ownership rights and the statutory framework governing copyright societies, challenging the boundaries of who can sue for infringement and claim damages in the absence of a registered copyright society.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Detailed_Factual_Background\"><\/span>Detailed Factual Background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Novex Communication Pvt. Ltd., the appellant and plaintiff, is a private entity that asserts ownership over copyrights in sound recordings through a series of assignment deeds executed by prominent media companies. Specifically, Novex claims rights stemming from agreements with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (dated August 11, 2015)<\/li>\n<li>Eros International Media Limited (dated January 9, 2017)<\/li>\n<li>Shemaroo Entertainment Limited (dated March 9, 2017)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additionally, Novex acts as an agent for Yash Raj Films Private Limited (Yash Raj), the second defendant turned prospective co-plaintiff, with respect to certain sound recordings.<\/p>\n<p>The first respondent, Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd., is accused of infringing these copyrights by playing the sound recordings on its premises without obtaining licenses. Novex contends that this unauthorized use began prior to the suit\u2019s filing in 2018, prompting demands for injunctive relief and damages amounting to \u20b95,00,000.<\/p>\n<p>The second respondent, Yash Raj Films Pvt. Ltd., initially a defendant, becomes a pivotal figure as Novex concedes during the appeal that Yash Raj should be transposed as a co-plaintiff, reflecting an agency relationship.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Detailed_Procedural_Background\"><\/span>Detailed Procedural Background<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The dispute originated in the trial court under suit number <strong>CS(COMM) 18\/2019<\/strong>, where Novex sought a permanent injunction and damages. In its judgment dated August 7, 2018, the trial court allowed the suit to proceed only with respect to Yash Raj\u2019s works (where Novex acted as an agent), but dismissed claims related to Zee, Eros, and Shemaroo\u2019s assignments.<\/p>\n<p>The court ruled that Section 33(1) restricts the business of issuing licenses to registered copyright societies and held Novex lacked standing to sue based on its assignee status. Aggrieved by this, Novex filed a <strong>Regular First Appeal (RFA No. 18\/2019)<\/strong> under Section 96 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.<\/p>\n<p>The High Court, presided over by Justice Valmiki J. Mehta, heard the appeal as a legal question and delivered judgment on January 11, 2019, setting aside the trial court\u2019s ruling and reinstating Novex\u2019s broader claims.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Issues_Involved_in_the_Case\"><\/span>Issues Involved in the Case<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Can Novex, as an assignee of sound recording copyrights, sue for infringement and damages despite not being a registered copyright society under Section 33(1)?<\/li>\n<li>Does the absence of a copyright society nullify an assignee\u2019s enforcement rights?<\/li>\n<li>Do Sections 33 to 35 override individual ownership rights?<\/li>\n<li>Did the trial court err in its interpretation of licensing provisions under the Copyright Act?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Detailed_Submission_of_Parties\"><\/span>Detailed Submission of Parties<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Novexs_Argument\"><\/span>Novex\u2019s Argument:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>It is the lawful owner by virtue of assignment deeds from Zee, Eros, and Shemaroo.<\/li>\n<li>It is an authorized agent for Yash Raj.<\/li>\n<li>Section 18(2) recognizes assignees as owners with the right to sue under Section 55.<\/li>\n<li>The first proviso to Section 33(1) allows owners to grant licenses unless delegated exclusively.<\/li>\n<li>The absence of a registered society should not result in a legal vacuum.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lemon_Trees_Argument\"><\/span>Lemon Tree\u2019s Argument:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Section 33(1) mandates that only registered societies can issue licenses and collect royalties.<\/li>\n<li>Novex, not being a registered society, cannot sue for infringement.<\/li>\n<li>The 2012 amendments aim to protect licensees and prevent exploitation.<\/li>\n<li>Relied on the judgment in <em>Event and Entertainment Management Association v. Union of India<\/em> to claim Novex\u2019s ineligibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Judgments_Cited_and_Their_Context\"><\/span>Judgments Cited and Their Context<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Event and Entertainment Management Association v. Union of India<\/strong>: Used by Lemon Tree to assert that only registered societies can collect royalties. The High Court clarified this judgment did not deal with infringement suits by owners.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. v. Eastern India Motion Pictures Association<\/strong> (1977): Differentiates ownership from licensing rights.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Super Cassettes Industries Ltd. v. Music Broadcast Ltd.<\/strong> (2012): Interprets the protective intent of the 2012 amendments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Detailed_Reasoning_and_Analysis\"><\/span>Detailed Reasoning and Analysis<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The judge analyzed the Copyright Act holistically:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Section 17 defines the author as the first owner.<\/li>\n<li>Section 18 allows assignment, and Section 55 provides infringement remedies to owners.<\/li>\n<li>Section 33(1) bars businesses from issuing licenses without being a registered society, but the first proviso protects owners\u2019 rights unless delegated exclusively.<\/li>\n<li>The second proviso applies only to embedded works in films or recordings, not to sound recordings as standalone works.<\/li>\n<li>Novex\u2019s ownership rights are not extinguished simply due to lack of a copyright society.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The court distinguished the EEMA case as irrelevant to ownership-based infringement claims and emphasized that denying Novex the right to sue would result in an absurd legal vacuum.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Decision\"><\/span>Final Decision<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The High Court allowed Novex\u2019s appeal on January 11, 2019, setting aside the trial court\u2019s judgment. The court held the suit maintainable and affirmed Novex\u2019s right as an assignee to seek damages. Yash Raj was to be transposed as a co-plaintiff.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Law_Settled_in_This_Case\"><\/span>Law Settled in This Case<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The ruling clarifies that an assignee of sound recording copyrights can sue for infringement and damages under Section 55 even if not a registered copyright society under Section 33. The first proviso to Section 33(1) preserves an owner\u2019s licensing authority unless exclusively delegated, and the absence of a society does not strip owners of enforcement rights.<\/p>\n<p><b>Disclaimer: <\/b>The information shared here is intended to serve the public interest by offering insights and perspectives. However, readers are advised to exercise their own discretion when interpreting and applying this information. The content herein is subjective and may contain errors in perception, interpretation, and presentation.<\/p>\n<p><b>Written By: Advocate Ajay Amitabh Suman<\/b>, IP Adjutor &#8211; Patent and Trademark Attorney<br \/>\nEmail: ajayamitabhsuman@gmail.com, Ph no: 9990389539<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Novex Communication Pvt. Ltd. v. Lemon Tree Hotels Ltd. &amp; Anr. Court: High Court of Delhi at New Delhi Date of Order: January 11, 2019 Case No.: RFA No. 18\/2019 Citation: AIRONLINE 2019 DEL 96 Judge: Hon\u2019ble Mr. Justice Valmiki J. Mehta Introduction In the realm of intellectual property law, the case of Novex Communication<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[156,24],"class_list":{"0":"post-5598","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-intellectual-property","7":"tag-copyright","8":"tag-just-in"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/56"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5598\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}