Page:Patents Act 1970 (India).pdf/12

 the Controller does not exceed eighteen months from the date on which the objections referred to in sub-section (1) are forwarded to the applicant.

(3) If at the expiration of the period of fifteen months specified in sub-section (1) or the extended period-
 * a. an appeal to the High Court is pending in respect of the application for the patent for the main invention, or
 * b. in the case of an application for a patent of addition, an appeal to the High Court is pending in respect of either that application or the application for the main invention,

the time within which the requirements of the Controller shall be complied with shall, on an application made by the applicant before the expiration of the said period of fifteen months or the extended period, as the case may be, be extended until such date as the High Court may determine.

(4) If the time within which the appeal mentioned in sub-section (3) may be instituted has not expired, the Controller may extend the period of fifteen months, or as the case may be, the extended period, until the expiration of such further period as he may determine:

Provided that if an appeal has been filed during the said further period, and the High Court has granted any extension of time for complying with, the requirements of the Controller, then, the requirements may be complied with within the time granted by the Court.

22. Acceptance of complete specification

Subject to the provisions of section 21, the complete specification filed in pursuance of an application for a patent may be accepted by the Controller at any time after the applicant has complied with the requirements mentioned in sub-section (1) of that section, and, if not so accepted within the period allowed under that section for compliance with those requirements, shall be accepted as soon as may be thereafter:

Provided that the applicant may make an application to the Controller in the prescribed manner requesting him to postpone acceptance until such date [not being later than eighteen months from the date on which the objections referred to in sub-section (1) of section 21 are forwarded to the applicant] as may be specified in the application, and, if such application is made, the Controller may postpone acceptance accordingly.

23. Advertisement of acceptance of complete specification

On the acceptance of a complete specification, the Controller shall give notice thereof to the applicant and shall advertise in the Official Gazette the fact that the specification has been accepted, and thereupon the application and the specification with the drawings (if any) filed in pursuance thereof shall be open to public inspection.

24. Effect of acceptance of complete specification

On and from the date of advertisement of the acceptance of a complete specification and until the date of sealing of a patent in respect thereof, the applicant shall have the like privileges and rights as if a patent for the invention had been sealed on the date of advertisement of acceptance of the complete specification:

Provided that the applicant shall not be entitled to institute any proceedings for infringement until the patent has been sealed.

(CHAPTER IVA)

EXCLUSIVE MARKETING RIGHTS

24A. Application for grant of exclusive rights – (1) Notwithstanding anything contained