Certain offices such as patent office universally requires that
the processes involved in the process or proceeding related to the
patent applications are subjected to statutory time line
restrictions. Missing of such time lines is fatal for the patent
applications or proceedings initiated by third party as the power
to condone the delay at times is not available in certain cases.
However, in situations such as war, revolution, civil disorder,
strike, natural calamity, a general unavailability of electronic
communication services or other like reason there is every
possibility that the applicants may miss the time lines. In such a
situation, the applicant may wait for the prevailing situation to
end and seek a condonation of delay from the patent office. In
India, Patent Rule 6(6), which covers these situations, is
reproduced below-
