Wedding, related events no longer exempted from music licences

NEW DELHI: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoCI) withdrew an earlier public notice of July 24, 2023, exempting wedding ceremonies and attendant functions from the requirement to obtain licences to play music.

The withdrawal is in response to continuing litigation before the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

With the exemption now cancelled, copyright enforcement rights are restored to Novex Communications. Therefore, playing copyrighted music on occasions like weddings and related functions, such as sangeet, reception, cocktail, or DJ nights, will once again require a valid licence from Novex.

The repercussions of this development impact event organisers, banquet halls, hotels, DJs, wedding planners, and families hosting celebrations with music from copyrighted catalogues. Any public performance of copyrighted sound recordings without proper authorisation may lead to legal consequences, including injunctions, damages, or criminal prosecution.

Industry insiders say the decision may lead to a fresh drive to push compliance in the events and hospitality industry, particularly during the height of the Indian wedding season. The withdrawal also throws the spotlight back on the legal and regulatory framework governing the use of copyrighted music in private and commercial settings.

The ultimate determination of the issue will rely on the judicial proceedings that are still pending; until then, however, wedding events involving public play of copyrighted music will still be required to obtain a licence.