Union IT Ministry to Soon Notify Data Protection Rules, Likely to Seek Public Opinion

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (IT) is likely to roll out the rules of digital personal data protection (DPDP) law for public consideration by the end of September, according to MoneyControl. The rules will be out to the public for consideration and recommendation by various stakeholders. 

“DPDP rules are ready, drafting has been completed. It will be released for consultation before the end of September and consultation period will be more than a month,” MoneyControl reported, citing a source. 

The digital personal data protection law was passed in 2023 by the parliament. The act recognises both the rights of the individuals to protect their personal data and the need to process such personal data for lawful purposes. However, the rules to operationalise the act are still not finalised. 

The union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw earlier in June announced that the drafting of rules is in an advanced stage. 

“Releasing the rules are among our top priorities. We had started working on the rules around December of last year, well before the Lok Sabha elections. Right now, the drafting of the rules is at an advanced stage, and we will shortly begin consultations soon...We won’t rush through with it,” said Vaishnaw in a press meeting. He added that the data protection act will incorporate the principle of ‘digital-by-design'.

What is the Digital Personal Data Protection Law, 2023? 

The Digital Personal Data Protection Law, 2023 is India’s first data protection act. The act is framed keeping in mind the changes happening in the digital sphere. Additionally, social media engagement for both personal and professional purposes has increased, as has the concern over data privacy. 

The act is applicable to the processing of digital personal data within the territory of India, whether collected online and offline. Moreover, to resolve issues around data privacy, the act talks about setting up Data Protection Board of India (DPBI). The DPBI will be an adjudicatory body responsible for resolving privacy-related grievances and disputes.