Playing songs during marriage function, religious ceremonies not Copyright violation; No license required

Utilisation of any sound recording during the course of a religious ceremony including marriage procession and any other social festivities associated with marriage does not amount to copyright violation, the Central government has clarified..Hence, no license is required to be obtained for the same..The clarification has been issued by the Copyright Office by way of a Public Notice dated August 27..As per the notice, representations were received from various stakeholders seeking clarification on whether a license needs to be obtained for utilisation of sound recordings in marriage related functions..The notice set out Section 52 of the Copyright Act, 1957 which enlists certain acts which do not constitute a violation of copyright. Sub-section(1)(za) exempts the performance of a literary, dramatic or musical work or the communication to the public of such work or of a sound recording in the course of any bona fide religious ceremony or an official ceremony held by the Central Government or the State Government or any local authority..In view of the above provision, the Copyright Office has clarified that no license is required to be obtained for the utilisation of any sound recording during the course of any religious ceremony including marriage procession and any other social festivities associated with marriage..[Read Notice]