Chapter VI - General
Section 27
Section 27: Privilege of reports of Controller
Section 27 keeps reports made by or to the Controller under the Designs Act confidential: they are not published or open to public inspection, except the annual report under section 45.
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Need advice on Section 27?
This article is for general information. Refer to the Designs Act, 2000 official text for the official provisions. If you need professional advice for your situation, contact Bizeneed.
Statutory text
Bare law
Reports of or to the Controller made under this Act other than the report referred to in section 45 shall not in any case be published or be open to public inspection.
Key takeaways
Reports stay confidential
Reports of or to the Controller made under the Act are not, in any case, published or open to public inspection.
Section 45 exception
The exception is the report the Central Government places before both Houses of Parliament once a year under section 45.
What is covered
The privilege applies to reports made under the Act, both reports made by the Controller and reports made to the Controller. The words 'shall not in any case' leave no general discretion to publish them. Under section 2(b), the Controller is the Controller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks.
The section 45 report
Section 45 requires the Central Government to place before both Houses of Parliament, once a year, a report respecting the execution of the Act by or under the Controller. That report is excluded from the privilege.
What the public can inspect
Section 17 allows any person, during the existence of copyright, to inspect a registered design on furnishing identifying information and paying the prescribed fee, and to obtain a certified copy. Section 26 opens every register kept under the Act to public inspection, subject to the Act. Section 28 separately closes abandoned or refused applications to inspection.
Hypothetical business example
Hypothetical: A competitor asks to see a report made to the Controller about a pending matter. Section 27 bars its publication or inspection. The competitor can still inspect the register under section 26 and, during the existence of copyright, a registered design under section 17.
Practical checklist
Do
- Use the inspection routes in sections 17 and 26 for public information about registered designs.
- Refer to the annual report under section 45 for information on how the Act is administered.
Avoid
- Do not expect access to reports made by or to the Controller.
- Do not confuse register entries, which are public, with the Controller's reports.
Glossary
- Controller
- The Controller-General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (section 2(b)).
- Privilege
- Protection of a document from publication or public inspection.
Frequently asked questions
Can I inspect reports made to the Controller?
No. Section 27 bars publication or public inspection of reports of or to the Controller made under the Act, except the section 45 report.
What is the section 45 report?
A report respecting the execution of the Act by or under the Controller, which the Central Government places before both Houses of Parliament once a year.
What can the public inspect?
The registers under section 26 and, during the existence of copyright, registered designs under section 17, subject to the Act and the prescribed fees.
Need help applying this provision to your situation?
Contact BizeneedLast updated 11 October 2026