Dr. Stephen L. Thaler v. Union Of India & ANR.

$~41 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C)-IPD 15/2026 & CM 87/2026 DR. STEPHEN L. THALER .....Petitioner Through:

Mr. Ankit Sahni, Ms. Kritika Sahni, Mr.

Chirag Ahluwalia and Mr. Aman Sinha, Advocates with Dr. Ryan Abbott, AR of petitioner.

versus UNION OF INDIA & ANR.

.....Respondents Through:

Mr. Gaurav Barathi, SPC with Mr.

Chirantan Priyadarshan, Advocates for R-1 and R-2.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TUSHAR RAO GEDELA

O R D E R

% 09.04.2026 1.

This is a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India seeking issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order(s) and/or direction(s) directing the respondent no.2 to decide petitioner's copyright application under diary no.9356/2022-CO/A for registration of an artistic work titled 'A Recent Entrance To Paradise'. 2.

The petitioner contends that he had filed a copyright application before the office of the respondent no.2/Registrar of Copyrights seeking registration in respect of an artistic work 'A Recent Entrance To Paradise' on 29.03.2022. The respondent no.2/Registrar of Copyrights issued a discrepancy letter dated 31.07.2023 after examination of the petitioner's application. In response to the said discrepancy letter, the counsel of the petitioner gave a detailed response on 25.08.2023. The respondent no.2/Registrar of Copyrights issued a hearing notice dated 26.02.2024 scheduling the date of hearing before the Deputy W.P.(C)-IPD 15/2026 Page 1 of 3 The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

Registrar of Copyrights for 05.03.2024.

3.

For some reasons, the counsel for the petitioner vide the letter dated 26.02.2024, sought an adjournment for the scheduled date for hearing i.e., 05.03.2024 and requested that the matter be listed for hearing on 15.03.2024. 4.

It is submitted that, consequent upon the petitioner having sent the letter dated 26.02.2024, no further date of hearing was ever sent to the petitioner by the respondent no.2.

5.

Petitioner also states that after having waited for as long as two years and receiving no date of hearing for the subject application, the petitioner was constrained to file the present petition seeking appropriate directions. 6.

Issue notice.

7.

Notice is accepted by Mr. Gaurav Barathi, learned CGSC appearing for the respondents. He states, on instructions, that the respondent no.2/Registrar of Copyrights has issued a letter dated 08.04.2026 granting the date of hearing of 27.04.2026 to the petitioner. Mr. Barathi hands over the said letter/notice of hearing to Mr. Ankit Sahni, learned counsel for the petitioner in Court. 8.

In view of that, Mr. Sahni, learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the petition may be disposed of as satisfied. 9.

The aforesaid letter dated 08.04.2026 issued by respondent no.2, scheduling the date of hearing for 27.04.2026 has been handed over the Bench and is taken on record.

10.

It is noted that the subject application seeking copyright of the artistic work 'A Recent Entrance To Paradise' was submitted in the year 2022, and having regard to the fact that no notice fixing the date of hearing was issued to the petitioner since March 2024 till date, it would be appropriate and in the interests of justice to request the Registrar of Copyrights to expedite the hearing and preferably conclude the same within eight (8) weeks from the date of hearing i.e. 27.04.2026.

W.P.(C)-IPD 15/2026 Page 2 of 3 The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

11.

In view of the above, the writ petition is allowed in above terms and is disposed of without any order to costs.

TUSHAR RAO GEDELA, J APRIL 9, 2026/anj W.P.(C)-IPD 15/2026 Page 3 of 3 The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.