The bill cleared both houses of the Indian Parliament in less than two hours. It passed unanimously in both houses, with no opposition present. The bill had previously been approved by the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, and a revised version was introduced in Parliament. However, there had been no public consultation on the revised version of the bill.
The new law creates two important bodies: the Data Protection Board and the Appellate Tribunal. The Data Protection Board will act as an adjudicatory party, addressing complaints and grievances related to data protection. However, the functions of the board have been significantly reduced in the revised version of the bill. The Appellate Tribunal will also be established to handle appeals related to data protection.
While the exact administration and implementation of the law are still being determined, the passing of the bill marks a significant step towards data protection in India. The law aims to regulate the processing of personal data and protect individuals’ privacy rights. It remains to be seen how effective the law will be in practice and how it will impact companies operating in India.
The passing of the data protection law reflects the Indian government’s commitment to digital privacy and data security. It is part of a broader trend of governments around the world enacting regulations to address the challenges posed by the collection and processing of personal data in the digital age.
