The Hindu : National : Centre accepts all but two changes in Patents Bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 22, 2005

National

National

Centre accepts all but two changes in Patents Bill

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH. 21. The Patents Amendment Bill, which is seeking to replace the ordinance, is likely to become an Act with the Government accepting all but two of the amendments suggested by the Left parties.

The two areas, one relating to micro-organisms and the other, on definition of new entities — whether it be described as "chemical entity" or "medicinal entity" — would be discussed by a technical committee to be set up by the Government.

In turn, the Left parties' support to the Bill came this evening after the Government agreed to move official amendments incorporating 10 of the 12 amendments suggested and discussed during protracted negotiations.

The chief whip of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Rup Chand Pal, told The Hindu that the Government would announce a technical committee and give its report in the second half of the Budget session.

The issue was clinched at a meeting between Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee and Kamal Nath and the CPI (M) Polit Bureau member, S. Ramachandran Pillai, the Rajya Sabha leader, Nilotpal Basu and Mr. Pal. The Left parties would meet tomorrow on the subject, Mr. Pal said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National