HC restrains IPRS from issuing licence on Jagjit Singh's music

New Delhi, March 15: Delhi High Court has restrained the Indian Performing Rights Society (IPRS) from granting any licence or recovering licence fee from a third party in respect of music and songs of late Jagjit Singh and his wife Chitra.

Justice Vipin Sanghi issued the interim direction after he was told that IPRS is no longer a registered copyright society which could issue licence to third parties in respect of the works of artists. The order came on the plea of Chitra, who had alleged that IPRS was still issuing licence in respect of their work despite it being not competent to do so under the Copyright Act.

IPRS is a society which was set up to issue licence to users of music and collect royalties from them for and on behalf of its members - authors, composers and publishers of music - and distribute the royalty amongst them, the plea said.

Senior advocate Pratibha M Singh, appearing for Chitra, told the court that IPRS recently issued licence in respect of Jagjit Singh's work to an event organiser, Panache Media, for a concert held in Mumbai and collected Rs 49,140 as licence fee.

"Not a penny of it was paid to plaintiff (Chitra) by IPRS or defendant 2 (Panache Media)," Singh told the court. Chitra has claimed in her plea, filed through advocate Mahua Roy Chowdhury, that the society has now again issued licence to Panache for a concert, in Jagjit Singh's name, to be held in Delhi on March 18.

Tickets of the event are being sold by Big Tree Entertainment Pvt Ltd on its portal - www.bookmyshow.com. She has sought a permanent injunction against IPRS from issuing any further licences or creating third party rights in her and her husband's music and songs as well as to restrain Panache from holding the concert.

The plea has also sought an order restraining Big Tree from promoting the event, to be held at Siri Fort Auditorium here, or selling its tickets. The court while issuing the interim direction to IPRS, said that grant of interim relief against Panache and Big Tree would be considered on March 16, the next date of hearing.

The court also issued summons and notice to all the three defendants - IPRS, Panache Media and Big Tree Entertainment.

PTI