Rule 129A of The Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2016

After rule 129, rule 129A has been inserted through the amendment of 2016.

129A. Adjournment of hearing

An applicant for patent or a party to a proceeding may make a request for adjournment of the hearing with reasonable cause along with the prescribed fee prescribed in First Schedule, at least three days before the date of hearing and the Controller, if he thinks fit to do so, and upon such terms as he may direct, may adjourn the hearing and intimate the parties accordingly:

Provided that no party shall be given more than two adjournments and each adjournment shall not be for more than thirty days.

Advantage:

The party may get two more chances to win the case through adjournments.

By Sonali Srivastava