(4) Transfer of the material object of a work shall not imply transfer of economic rights
to the owner or such object unless stipulated otherwise in the contract for the transfer of the
object.
Order of Publication and Falling of Works
into the Public Domain
20.—(1) Where the heirs of the author or other persons mentioned in his will fail to
exercise the rights vesting in them under section 19 of this Act and the Minister is of the
opinion that public interest requires the publication of the work, he may request the heirs by
registered letter to publish such work and if the heirs or other persons mentioned in the will
fail to publish such work within one year from the date of such request, the Minister may
order that such work be published, provided that he shall pay a compensation to the heirs of
the author or other persons mentioned in the will.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 19(3) of this Act, where the author
dies intestate or leaves no heir the Minister may order that the work shall be in public domain.
(3) After expiry of the term of protection in section 13 of this Act the works shall fall
into the public domain and may be freely used.
Invalidity of Acts of Third Party for Lack of Consent
21. Except where it is expressly provided for in sections 14, 15, 19 and 20 of this Act,
all acts done by third parties in relation to copyright shall be null and void for lack of consent
of the owner of copyright.
Part V
Registration of Works and Contracts
Registrar’s Office
22.—(1) For the purpose of this Act, there shall be established an office in the
Corporation known as Registrar’s Office which shall be headed by a Registrar; such office
shall have a common seal.
(2) The powers and functions of the Registrar and the manner of administration of the
Registrar’s Office and the affairs thereof shall be specified by the rules.
(3) Any certificate of registration and all other official documents issued by the
Registrar shall be authentic as regards the correctness of the contents thereof unless the
contrary is proved before the Registrar.