law: Patents Act, 1970
  17. Power of Controller to make orders respecting dating
  
  of application.
  (1) Subject to the provisions of section 9, at any time after
  
  the filing of an application and before acceptance of the complete
  
  specification under this Act, the Controller may, at the request of the
  
  applicant made in the prescribed manner, direct that the, application shall be
  
  post-dated to such date as may be specified in the request, and proceed with
  
  the application accordingly:
  PROVIDED  that no application shall be post-dated under
  
  this sub-section to a date later than six months from the date on which it was
  
  actually made or would, but for the provisions of this sub-section, be deemed
  
  to have been made.
  (2) Where an application or specification (including drawings)
  
  is required to be amended under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 15,
  
  the application or specification shall, if the Controller so directs, be deemed
  
  to have been made on the date on which the requirement is complied with or where
  
  the application or specification is returned to the applicant, on the date on
  
  which it is re-filed after complying with the requirement.