Section 12: Examination of application

[(1) When a request for examination has been made in respect of an application for a patent in the prescribed manner [under sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) of section 11B, the application and specification and other documents related thereto shall be referred at the earliest by the Controller] to an examiner for making a report to him in respect of the following matters, namely:—

(a) whether the application and the [specification and other documents relating thereto] are in accordance with the requirements of this Act and of any rules made thereunder;

(b) whether there is any lawful ground of objection to the grant of the patent under this Act in pursuance of the application;

(c) the result of investigations made under section 13; and

(d) any other matter which may be prescribed.

(2) The examiner to whom the application and the [specification and other documents relating thereto] are referred under sub-section (1) shall ordinarily make the report to the Controller within [such period as may be prescribed].