Intellectual Property Act 2003 · As enacted · Part IV · Chapter
64. Novelty
Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.
Official translationFrom Department of Government Printing, unchanged
An invention is new if it is not anticipated by prior art.
Prior art shall consist of—
everything disclosed to the public, anywhere in the world, by written publication, oral disclosure, use or in any other way, prior to the filing or, where appropriate, priority date of the patent application claiming the invention ;
the contents of patent application made in Sri Lanka having an earlier filing or, where appropriate, priority date than the patent application referred to in paragraph (a), to extent that such contents are included in the patent granted on the basis of the said patent application made in Sri Lanka.
A disclosure made under paragraph (a) of subsection (2) shall be disregarded—
if such disclosure occurred within one year preceding the date of the patent application and if such disclosure or in consequence of acts committed by the applicant or his predecessor in title ;
if such disclosure occurred within six months preceding the date of the patent application and if such disclosure was by reason or in consequence of any abuse of the rights of the applicant or his predecessor in title.
Part V