Order on Microsoft appeal

A division bench of the Delhi High Court has stayed the order passed by a single judge of the Delhi High Court on copyright infringement cases filed by Microsoft Corporation. The order by the single judge of the Court had granted the injunction prayed for by Microsoft against four companies, which were allegedly using pirated software. In addition, the order by the single judge made certain observations on the case. Microsoft had appealed against the order by the single judge and sought a stay on its operation.

In its order dated December 12, 2009, the division bench of the Court stayed the operation of the single judge's order and modified the terms of the injunction as granted by the single judge, thereby forbidding the accused companies from using the unlicensed or pirated software till the next date of hearing. Microsoft was allowed to use local commissioners to ascertain in the presence of an authorised officer of the accused companies if they were using unlicensed or pirated software of Microsoft.The accused companies were also allowed to make a mirror image of the hard disc of their computers for future use. Business Standard had carried a report on December 24 on the order of the single judge of the Court. Lawyers assisting Microsoft in these cases has stated that since the division bench's order on December 12, two matters have already been settled and decreed by the Court.