s 25 Making of application
25.—(1) Every application for a patent —(a) must be made in the prescribed form and must be filed at the Registry in the manner prescribed in the rules made under section 115 and specified in the practice directions issued by the Registrar; and[Act 7 of 2022 wef 26/05/2022] (b) must be accompanied by the fee prescribed for the purposes of this subsection. (2) Where an application is not accompanied by the fee mentioned in subsection (1)(b), the fee must be paid within the prescribed period. (3) Every application for a patent must contain —(a) a request for the grant of a patent; (b) a specification containing a description of the invention, a claim or claims and any drawing referred to in the description or any claim; and (c) an abstract, but this subsection does not prevent an application being initiated by documents complying with section 26(1). (4) The specification of an application must disclose the invention in a manner which is clear and complete for the invention to be performed by a person skilled in the art. (5) The claim or claims must —(a) define the matter for which the applicant seeks protection; (b) be clear and concise; (c) be supported by the description; and (d) relate to one invention or to a group of inventions which are so linked as to form a single inventive concept. (6) Without limiting subsection (5)(d), the rules may provide for treating 2 or more inventions as being so linked as to form a single inventive concept for the purposes of this Act. (7) The purpose of the abstract is to give technical information and on publication it does not form part of the state of the art by virtue of section 14(3), and the Registrar may determine whether the abstract adequately fulfils its purpose and, if it does not, may reframe it so that it does. (8) Subject to subsection (9), an application for a patent may be withdrawn at any time before the patent is granted and any withdrawal of such an application may not be revoked.[15/2012] (9) A request to withdraw an application for a patent must be made in such manner as may be prescribed.[15/2012]