Statutory Licence for Cover Versions :

Section 31C (1) provides that any person desirous of making a cover version, being a sound recording in respect of any literary, dramatic or musical work, where sound recordings of that work have been made by or with the licence or consent of the owner of the right in the work, may do so subject to the provisions of this section. However, such sound recordings shall be in the same medium as the last recording, unless the medium of the last recording is no longer in current commercial use.

The person making the sound recordings required to give prior notice of his intention to make the sound recordings in the manner as may be prescribed, and provide in advance copies of all covers or labels with which the sound recordings are to be sold, and pay in advance, to the owner of rights in each work royalties in respect of all copies to be made by him, at the rate fixed by the Copyright Board.

It may be noted that such sound recordings shall not be sold or issued in any form of packaging or with any cover or label which is likely to mislead or confuse the public as to their identity, and in particular shall not contain the name or depict in any way any performer of an earlier sound recording of the same work or any cinematograph film in which such sound recording was incorporated and, further, shall state on the cover that it is a cover version made under this section.

The person making such sound recordings shall not make any alteration in the literary or musical work which has not been made previously by or with the consent of the owner of rights, or which is not technically necessary for the purpose of making the sound recordings. However, such sound recordings shall not be made until the expiration of five calendar years after the end of the year in which the first sound recordings of the work was made.

It may be noted that cover version means a sound recording made in accordance with this Section 31C of the Act.