FHRAI not to advise members agnst taking song license fm PPL:

Delhi High Court today restrained a hotel and restaurant body from issuing advisories to its members not to approach a music licensing firm, which holds copyrights for lakhs of numbers, for the rights to play popular Bollywood songs during the New Year celebrations.
In an order that could impact the playing of these numbers in hotels and restaurants across the country, Justice Hima Kohli issued the direction on the plea of Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) which claims to have copyright for about five lakh sound recordings of over 250 record labels, including T-series, Universal and Sony music.
PPL, represented by senior advocate and Congress leader Ashwani Kumar, told the court that the Federation of Hotels and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) and its Secretary General were issuing advisories to members across the country not to approach PPL for licence to "communicate to the public" those sound recordings in which the company holds copyright.

PPL, in its suit filed through advocate Jagdish Sagar, has said that issuance of such advisories could lead to infringement of its copyright in these sound recordings.
PPL had initially moved the lower court for an injunction against the advisories issued by FHRAI regarding taking licence from the company.
A week ago, the lower court had refused to grant an interim injunction. Against the refusal of the lower court to grant such an injunction, PPL moved the High Court.
The High Court also issued notice to the FHRAI and its Secretary General seeking their replies by January 25, the next date of hearing.