Bill for commercial courts in monsoon session: Moily

Bill for commercial courts in monsoon session: Moily

A bill to set up specialised commercial benches in all high courts and another to protect the interests of the creators of literary works, cinema, music etc will be introduced in Parliament in its forthcoming Monsoon session, Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Saturday.

"The bill to set up commercial court benches in high courts has already been examined by the standing parliamentary panel attached to Union Law ministry and will be introduced in Parliament and possibly will get passed in the Monsoon session," Moily said.

"The Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010 is also being examined by the relevant standing committee and probably in the Monsoon session we will introduce it in Parliament," he added.

The law minister revealed government plans to have the two bills introduced in the next session while addressing a function, organised in New Delhi to mark the World Intellectual Property Day on Saturday.

The function was organised by Asian Patent Attorney's Associate. The function was attended, among others, by the Delhi High Court's Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, Additional Solicitor General A S Chandhiok and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The Commercial Division of the High Court Bill, 2009 envisages setting up special benches in each high court to adjudicate matters pertaining to commercial disputes, while the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2010 intends to protect the owners of literary, cinema and musical works and also makes special provisions to protect the interests of lyricists, composers and others, linked to film and television industry.

Moily also spoke on use of technology by the courts and commending the Delhi High Court work on this front, he said "by 2030 all our courts should become e-courts." "We are providing all help from our side but it is up to the courts to take it forward," he added.