On August 3, the National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI) brought to the forefront significant apprehensions concerning the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023, which has been introduced in the Lok Sabha. The NCPRI underscored that the government has yet to effectively address crucial concerns that were previously highlighted by the organization.
Through a comprehensive statement, the NCPRI revealed that it had meticulously examined the initial draft of the Bill, which had undergone a period of public consultation facilitated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) in November 2022.
Within this submission, the NCPRI had prominently flagged several vital issues, including the introduction of regressive amendments to the Right to Information (RTI) Act, as well as expressing apprehensions about the apparent lack of autonomy and independence vested in the oversight entity – the Data Protection Board.
Despite the interval for revisions and refinement, it is disconcerting to note that the current version of the Bill continues to exhibit the very shortcomings previously underscored by the NCPRI in their assessment of the initial draft. This emphasizes the persistent gaps that remain unaddressed in the ongoing legislative process.