Who has the authority to cancel elections in a PCT application?
According to MPEP 1880, which cites PCT Administrative Instructions Section 606, the International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) has the authority to cancel certain elections ex officio. Specifically:
The International Preliminary Examining Authority shall cancel ex officio: (i) the election of any State which is not a designated State; (ii) the election of any State not bound by Chapter II of the Treaty.
This means that the IPEA can automatically cancel elections that are not valid or applicable without requiring action from the applicant. The IPEA will notify the applicant of any such cancellations.
To learn more: