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(1) Subject to the provisions contained in this Act, a patent
whether granted before or after the commencement of this Act, may,
1[be revoked on a petition of any
person interested or of the Central Government by 2*** on a counter-claim in a suit for
infringement of the patent by the High Court] on any of the following grounds, that is to say--
(a) that the invention, so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification, was claimed in
a valid claim of earlier priority date contained in the complete specification of another patent granted
in India;
(b) that the patent was granted on the application of a person not entitled under the provisions of
this Act to apply therefor:
3* * * * *
(c) that the patent was obtained wrongfully in contravention of the rights of the petitioner or any
person under or through whom he claims;
(d) that the subject of any claim of the complete specification is not an invention within the
meaning of this Act;
(e) that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification is not new,
having regard to what was publicly known or publicly used in India before the priority date of the
claim or to what was published in India or elsewhere in any of the documents referred to in section
13:
3* * * * *
(f) that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification is obvious or
does not involve any inventive step, having regard to what was publicly known or publicly used in
India or what was published in India or elsewhere before the priority date of the claim:
3* * * * *
(g) that the invention, so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification, is not useful;
(h) that the complete specification does not sufficiently and fairly describe the invention and the
method by which it is to be performed, that is to say, that the description of the method or the
instructions for the working of the invention as contained in the complete specification are not by
themselves sufficient to enable a person in India possessing average skill in, and average knowledge
of, the art to which the invention relates, to work the invention, or that it does not disclose the best
method of performing it which was known to the applicant for the patent and for which he was
entitled to claim, protection;
(i) that the scope of any claim of the complete specification is not sufficiently and clearly defined
or that any claim of the complete specification is not fairly based on the matter disclosed in the
specification;
(j) that the patent was obtained on a false suggestion or representation;
(k) that the subject of any claim of the complete specification is not patentable under this Act;
(l) that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification was secretly
used in India, otherwise than as mentioned in sub-section (3), before the priority date of the claim;
(m) that the applicant for the patent has failed to disclose to the Controller the information
required by section 8 or has furnished information which in any material particular was false to his
knowledge;
(n) that the applicant contravened any direction for secrecy passed under section 35 4[or made or
caused to be made an application for the grant of a patent outside India in contravention of section
39];
(o) that leave to amend the complete specification under section 57 or section 58 was obtained by
fraud;
4[(p) that the complete specification does not disclose or wrongly mentions the source or
geographical origin of biological material used for the invention;
(q) that the invention so far as claimed in any claim of the complete specification was anticipated
having regard to the knowledge, oral or otherwise, available within any local or indigenous
community in India or elsewhere.]
(2) For the purposes of clauses (e) and (f) of sub-section (1),--
(a) no account shall be taken of 5[personal document or secret trial or secret use]; and
(b) where the patent is for a process or for a product as made by a process described or claimed
the importation into India of the product made abroad by that process shall constitute knowledge or
use in India of the invention on the date of the importation, except where such importation has been
for the purpose of reasonable trial or experiment only.
(3) For the purpose of clause (l) of sub-section (1), no account shall be taken of any use of the
invention--
(a) for the purpose of reasonable trial or experiment only; or
(b) by the Government or by any person authorised by the Government or by a Government
undertaking, in consequence of the applicant for the patent or any person from whom he derives title
having communicated or disclosed the invention directly or indirectly to the Government or person
authorised as aforesaid or to the Government undertaking; or
(c) by any other person, in consequence of the applicant for the patent or any person from whom
he derives title having communicated or disclosed the invention, and without the consent or
acquiescence of the applicant or of any person from whom he derives title.
(4) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-section (1), a patent may be revoked by the
High Court on the petition of the Central Government, if the High Court is satisfied that the patentee has
without reasonable cause failed to comply with the request of the Central Government to make, use or
exercise the patented invention for the purposes of Government within the meaning of section 99 upon
reasonable terms.
(5) A notice of any petition for revocation of a patent under this section shall be served on all persons
appearing from the register to be proprietors of that patent or to have shares or interests therein and it
shall not be necessary to serve a notice on any other person.
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1. Subs. by s. 47, _ibid_., for certain words (w.e.f. 2-4-2007).
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2. The words “by the Appellate Board” omitted by Act 33 of 2021, s. 13 (w.e.f. 4-4-2021).
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3. The proviso omitted by Act 38 of 2002, s. 31 (w.e.f. 20-5-2003).
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4. Ins. by Act 38 of 2002, s. 31 (w.e.f. 20-5-2003).
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5. Subs. by s. 31, _ibid_., for secret use (w.e.f. 20-5-2003).
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