Telangana High Court Temporarily Bars PPL From Coercing Hyderabad Bar To Obtain Music Licence

The Telangana High Court on May 4, 2026 granted interim protection to a Hyderabad restaurant and bar, restraining Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) from coercing it to obtain a music licence until the next hearing on June 19.

Justice Renuka Yara was hearing a writ petition filed by Dark Horse Hospitality and Events LLP, which runs Babylon Bar and Kitchen in Jubilee Hills. The establishment has challenged what it describes as an unlawful attempt by PPL to compel businesses to obtain licences for publicly communicating sound recordings.

As per the plea, the dispute traces back to March 2024, when agents of PPL entered the premises and alleged that copyrighted music belonging to PPL was being played without a licence. A criminal case for alleged copyright infringement was later registered at Jubilee Hills Police Station.

The petition also questioned two police communications relied upon by PPL during enforcement. One was a 2016 circular issued by the Additional Director General of Police, CID, Telangana.

The other was a 2024 memo issued by the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad. According to the plea, both communications directed establishments playing sound recordings to obtain licences from PPL.

As per the plea, Babylon contended that PPL is not a registered copyright society under Section 33 of the Copyright Act, 1957 and therefore lacks statutory authority to issue licences or collect royalties from businesses.

The petition stated that after amendments to the Copyright Act in 2012, PPL was required to seek re-registration as a copyright society within a year but failed to do so. It further claimed that Recorded Music Performance Limited (RMPL) is the registered copyright society for sound recordings.

The plea also relied on PPL's own Code of Conduct published on its website, which, according to the petitioner, describes the entity as a company limited by guarantee engaged in licensing and royalty collection on behalf of member music labels. The petitioner claimed this brought PPL within the scope of Section 33, making registration mandatory.

According to the plea, the police circulars were issued without verification of PPL's legal authority and effectively enabled what it described as “arm twisting” of businesses through threats of criminal action and licence demands.

The petition further stated that the police had no authority under copyright law to identify or endorse a licensing body for copyrighted sound recordings.

The plea also relied on Section 19(8) of the Copyright Act, which deals with assignments of rights contrary to those already vested in a copyright society. According to the petitioner, several music labels that assigned rights to PPL were already members of RMPL or IPRS, rendering such assignments invalid.

Dark Horse Hospitality further stated in its plea that it had submitted a representation dated February 24, 2026 before the Registrar of Copyrights seeking an enquiry into PPL's conduct.

While granting interim relief, the court recorded the petitioner's submission that PPL had caused a criminal case to be registered against it and that the Commissioner of Police had communicated letters directing the establishment to obtain a licence from PPL.

The court then restrained PPL from coercing the petitioner to obtain a licence until the next date of hearing.

Notice has been issued to the Registrar of Copyrights and PPL. Deputy Solicitor General of India N. Bhujanga Rao accepted notice on behalf of the Union of India.

The matter will next be heard on June 19, 2026.