The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 was today introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Bill has provisions for processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognizes both the right of individuals to protect their personal data and the need to process such personal data for lawful purposes. According to the Bill, a person may process the personal data of an individual for a lawful purpose on the basis of their consent and for certain legitimate uses.
The Bill has a provision to set up the Data Protection Board of India. The Board on receipt of an intimation of personal data breach will inquire the matter and impose penalty. According to the Bill, a penalty of 250 crore rupees can be imposed in case of a breach in observing the obligation of data fiduciary of personal data. While determining the amount of monetary penalty to be imposed, the Board will consider the nature, gravity and duration of the breach and the type, and nature of the personal data affected by the breach. The Bill states that individuals have the right to correction, completion, updating and erasure of their personal data of which they have previously given consent.
When the House met after the first adjournment at 2 PM, Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced the Bill in the House. Opposing the introduction of the Bill, Congress member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that the bill violates the provisions of Right to Information Act as well as compromises with Right to Privacy. He demanded that the bill should be sent to the standing committee or Joint Parliamentary Committee for further discussion. Saugata Roy of TMC also made a similar demand. Supriya Sule of NCP said, the Bill promotes the excessive centralization of data and it also violates provisions of Right to Information Act. NK Premchandran of RSP also said, the Bill violates the fundamental rights of people.
Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor and Gaurav Gogoi of Congress also spoke against the introduction of the Bill along with Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM. Moving the Bill, the Minister clarified that it is a general bill and not a money bill. He added that the government is ready to discuss all the points raised by the Opposition members. However, opposing the introduction of the Bill, members from Congress, DMK, TMC, NCP, and others staged a walkout from the House.