Patents Ordinance, 2000 — section 51

51. Power of Controller to correct clerical errors..—(1) The Controller may, in accordance with the provisions of this section, correct any clerical error in any patent or in any specification or other document filed in pursuance of such application or in any application for a patent or any clerical error in any matter which is entered in the Register.

(2)A correction may be made in pursuance of this section either upon a request in writing made by any person interested and accompanied by the prescribed fee, or without such a request.

(3)Where the Controller proposes to make any such correction as referred to in sub-section

(1), otherwise than in pursuance of a request made under this section, he shall give notice of the proposal to the patentee or the applicant for the patent, as the case may be, and to any other person who appears to him to be concerned, and shall give them an opportunity of being heard before making the correction.

(4)Where a request is made under sub-section (2), for the correction of any clerical error in a patent or application for a patent or any document filed in pursuance of such an application, and it appears to the Controller that the correction would materially alter the meaning or scope of the document to which the request relates and ought not to be made without notice to persons affected thereby, he shall require notice of the nature of the proposed correction to be advertised in the prescribed manner.

(5)Within the prescribed time after any such advertisements as referred to in sub-section (4), any person interested may give notice to the Controller of opposition to the request, and, where such notice of opposition is given, the Controller shall give notice thereof to the person by whom the request was made, and shall give to him and to the opponent as opportunity of being heard before he decides the case. 52. Evidence before Controller. Subject to any rules made in this behalf, in any proceedings under this Ordinance before the Controller, evidence shall be given by affidavit in the absence of directions by the Controller to the contrary, but in any case in which the Controller thinks it right so to do he may take oral evidence in lieu of, or in addition to, evidence by affidavit, or may allow any party to be cross-examined on the contents of his affidavit. 53. Exercise of discretionary powers by Controller. Without prejudice to any provision of this Ordinance requiring the Controller to hear any party to the proceedings thereunder or to give any such party an opportunity of being heard, the Controller shall give to any applicant for a patent or for amendment of a specification, if within the prescribed time the applicant so requires, an opportunity of being heard before exercising adversely to the applicant any discretion vested in the Controller by or under this Ordinance. CHAPTER XV REGISTER OF PATENTS