Assignment of Copyright :

The owner of the copyright in an existing work or the prospective owner of the copyright in a future work may assign to any person the copyright Section 18 of the Copyright Act provides for the assignment of copyright in an existing work as well as future work. In both the cases an assignment may be made of the copyright either wholly or partially and generally or subject to limitations and that too for the whole period of copyright or part thereof. However, in case of assignment of copyright in any future work, the assignment has the real effect only when the work comes into existence. Section 18(3) explains that a assignee in respect of assignment of the copyright in future work include the legal representative of the assignee, if the assignee dies before the work comes into existence.

Sections 17 and 18 of the Copyright Act, 1957 show where the copyright vests. If a work is done by an author for a consideration for a publisher, the copyright in it would normally vest in the publisher subject to any contract to the contrary, as is provided by Section 17 of the said Act. It can be legitimately said that this Section has been inserted in the Act of 1957, but the rule of law has been same even prior to this statutory provision. Secondly as provided by Section 18, the copyright could be assigned, and if it is so done it would be vested in the purchaser. (Khemraj Shrikrishnadass v. M/s Garg & Co. and Another AIR 1975 Del 130.)