Core Legal Answer & Context: This statement refers to a crucial exception to copyright infringement known as 'fair dealing' or 'fair use' in copyright law. Copyright law grants exclusive rights to creators over their original literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works. However, these rights are not absolute. Exceptions are carved out to balance the rights of copyright holders with the public interest in promoting creativity, education, research, and freedom of expression. Quoting from a publicly available work, under specific circumstances, falls within this exception.

Relevant Statutes and Sections:

1. Section 52, Copyright Act, 1957: This section enumerates various acts that do not constitute an infringement of copyright. Specifically, Section 52(1)(a) is relevant:
   • "(a) a fair dealing with any work, not being a computer programme, for the purposes of— (i) private use, including research; (ii) criticism or review, whether of that work or of any other work; or (iii) the reporting of current events and current affairs, including the reporting of a lecture delivered in public."

Commentary on the Statement:

1. Copyright Protection: Copyright protects the expression of ideas, not the ideas themselves. It grants the owner exclusive rights to reproduce, publish, perform, adapt, and translate their work. Unauthorized use of these rights constitutes infringement.

2. The 'Fair Dealing' Exception: The statement is largely accurate due to the 'fair dealing' doctrine enshrined in Section 52 of the Copyright Act, 1957. This doctrine permits the use of copyrighted material without the owner's permission for certain specified purposes, provided the use is 'fair'. The underlying principle is to prevent copyright from stifling creativity, scholarship, and public discourse.

3. Conditions for 'Fair Dealing' (Quotation):

   • Lawfully Made Available: The work from which the quotation is taken must have been lawfully made available to the public. This means the original work itself is not an infringing copy.
   • Purpose: The quotation must be for specific purposes, such as:
     • Private use, including research: Using excerpts for personal study or academic research.
     • Criticism or review: Quoting parts of a work to critically analyze or review it, or another work.
     • Reporting of current events: Using short excerpts in news reports or commentaries.
   • Fairness: The 'fairness' of the dealing is assessed based on several factors, often referred to as the 'four-factor test' (though not explicitly codified in India, it's a guiding principle):
     • Purpose and character of the use: Is it for commercial gain or non-profit educational/research purposes?
     • Nature of the copyrighted work: Is it factual or highly creative?
     • Amount and substantiality of the portion used: How much of the original work is quoted? Is the quoted portion the 'heart' or essential part of the original work? The quotation should not be so extensive as to become a substitute for the original work.
     • Effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work: Does the quotation harm the commercial interests of the copyright holder?
   • Acknowledgement: While not always explicitly mandated for all fair dealing uses, proper attribution of the source and author is generally considered good practice and can strengthen a claim of fair dealing.

4. Rationale: The fair dealing exception ensures that copyright does not become a monopoly that hinders further creative or intellectual activity. It allows for the free flow of information and ideas, enabling scholars, critics, and journalists to engage with existing works without needing prior permission for every minor quotation.

Important Landmark Cases:

1. University of Oxford v. Rameshwari Photocopy Services (2016): While this case primarily dealt with photocopying for educational purposes, the Delhi High Court's judgment extensively discussed the concept of 'fair dealing' under Section 52. It emphasized the need to balance the rights of copyright holders with the public interest, particularly in education and access to knowledge. The court highlighted that the purpose and extent of use are crucial in determining fairness.

Clear Conclusion: The statement that quotation from a lawfully available work does not constitute copyright infringement is generally correct, provided it falls within the ambit of 'fair dealing' as stipulated in Section 52 of the Copyright Act, 1957. This exception is vital for fostering intellectual discourse, criticism, research, and news reporting, ensuring that copyright protection does not unduly restrict the legitimate use and dissemination of knowledge. However, the use must be genuinely 'fair' in terms of purpose, extent, and its impact on the original work's market, and proper attribution is usually expected.