Digital Personal Data Protection Bill Passes in Rajya Sabha, Violation could Result in Rs 250 Crore Penalty

This bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Introducing it in the Rajya Sabha for consideration and passing, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Said, “It would have been good if the opposition had discussed the bill but no opposition leader or member is concerned about the rights of citizens.” He said that the language of this bill is very simple and any common person can understand it. In this bill, emphasis has been laid on protecting the privacy of the citizens of the country. There is a provision to impose a fine of up to Rs 250 crore on entities that misuse people’s digital data or fail to protect it.

The Supreme Court had declared ‘Right to Privacy’ as a fundamental right six years ago. This bill has provisions related to banning misuse of people’s data by online platforms. This bill was passed in the Lok Sabha amid uproar by opposition parties on the issue of violence in Manipur.

Ashwini said that this bill has been brought after detailed public consultation. He explained the principles on which this bill is based. Ashwini said that according to the principle of legality, an individual’s data should be taken on the basis of existing laws. He said that according to the principle of limited purpose, data should be used for the same purpose for which it is taken. Referring to the principle of minimum data, Ashwini said that more data than required should not be taken. Regarding the storage limit, he said that the data should be kept only for the period that is needed. Regarding the process of dispute resolution in this bill, he said that if any entity makes a mistake then it will have to go to the Data Protection Board to rectify that mistake and pay the fine.