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16. Power of Controller to make orders respecting division of application.—

(1) A person who has made an application for a patent under this Act may, at any time [before the grant] Subs. by Act 15 of 2005, s. 15, for “before the acceptance of the complete specification” (w.e.f. 1-1-2005). of the patent, if he so desires, or with a view to remedy the objection raised by the Controller on the ground that the claims of the complete specification relate to more than one invention, file a further application in respect of an invention disclosed in the provisional or complete specification already filed in respect of the first mentioned application. 

(2) The further application under sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by a complete specification, but such complete specification shall not include any matter not in substance disclosed in the complete specification filed in pursuance of the first mentioned application.

(3) The Controller may require such amendment of the complete specification filed in pursuance of either the original or the further application as may be necessary to ensure that neither of the said complete specifications includes a claim for any matter claimed in the other.

[Explanation.—For the purposes of this Act, the further application and the complete specification accompanying it shall be deemed to have been filed on the date on which the first mentioned application had been filed, and the further application shall be proceeded with as a substantive application and be examined when the request for examination is filed within the prescribed period].Subs. by s. 15, ibid., for the Explanation (w.e.f. 1-1-2005).