- The Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology (Chair: Mr. Prataprao Jadhav) submitted its report on ‘Citizens’ Data Security and Privacy’ on August 1, 2023. The Committee noted the rising risk of misuse of personal data, and highlighted that a data protection law must be urgently introduced. One member of the Committee submitted a dissent note regarding the rule making powers of the central government, exemptions to government agencies, and non-inclusion of non-personal data. Key observations and recommendations of the Committee include:
- Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022: The Committee noted that the Ministry incorporated questions that were raised during previous consultations for the data protection law, into the 2022 Draft Bill. These questions included the rule making powers of the central government, compensation from those whose process data, age of consent, and the establishment of a grievance redressal mechanism for data principals. The Committee recommended that the Ministry incorporate visual elements for consent and notice mechanisms to extend benefits to people who are not digitally literate.
