The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019
Recently retired Justice Shri B.N. Srikrishna has said that India now needs a strong Personal Data Protection Bill 2019.
Amid reports of alleged surveillance by NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware on ministers, government officials, journalists etc., Justice BN Srikrishna said the data protection law would hold any private entity or government accountable. At the same time, it will also provide legal redress for violation of privacy of the victims.
Justice Srikrishna chaired the government’s committee to draft the original Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill.
Earlier in the year 2019, the PDP Bill was presented in the Parliament-
- It provides for the protection of personal data of individuals, lays down a framework for processing such personal data, and provides for the establishment of a data protection authority for the purpose.
- Recently, the Joint Committee of Parliament (UCP) constituted in the year 2019 to examine the bill was given time till the winter session to submit its report.
- In 2017, the Supreme Court, in the landmark Justice KS Pudaswamy vs Union of India case, recognized privacy as a fundamental right under Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty).
- In case of breach of privacy, any person can take recourse to the Supreme Court under Article 32 (right to constitutional remedy).
Personal data is data that relates to characteristics, traits or expressions of identity. This data can be used to identify an individual.
Source – The Hindu
