Number of Intellectual Property Protection Complaints Rises

Kathmandu. The number of people filing complaints for the protection and security of intellectual property is increasing. Companies and individuals are increasingly approaching the court as well as the Department of Industry, claiming their creations have been stolen and seeking copyright protection.  

According to Additional Secretary of the Department of Industry, Shreekrishna Poudel, 571 complaints were registered at the department by June 26 of the current fiscal year 2082/83. He stated that decisions were made on 734 complaints, including those from previous years, within this fiscal year. Presenting data from the past five years at an interaction program held in Kathmandu, he said that the number of people filing complaints for copyright is increasing.  

According to him, in the fiscal year 2077/78, 170 out of 334 registered complaints were decided. Poudel informed that in fiscal year 2079/80, 153 out of 300 complaints were resolved. He stated that although the number of complaints increased to 524 in fiscal year 2080/81, decisions were made on only 111. According to him, in fiscal year 2081/82, 386 complaints were registered, and decisions were made on 483 (including cases from the previous year).  

He said, ‘Regarding intellectual property protection and security issues, 170 out of 334 complaints filed in this department in fiscal year 2077/78 have already been decided or ruled upon. In fiscal year 2079/80, out of 300 complaints filed, the department has made decisions on 153 complaints. 

Similarly, in fiscal year 2080/81, 524 complaints were filed, while the department made decisions on 111 complaints. In fiscal year 2081/82, a total of 386 complaints were filed, and 483 decisions were made (including from the previous fiscal year). By June 26 of the current fiscal year 2082/82, 571 complaints have been registered, and 734 decisions have been made. Recently, the trend of filing complaints against intellectual property theft with the department as well as the court has been increasing.’

He stated that delays in deciding on complaints are due to a lack of manpower and the process of gathering evidence.