Centre To Come Back With New Comprehensive Framework: Union MoS For IT On Data Protection Bill

Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology said that the recommendations by the Joint Committee of Parliament were outside the domain of privacy and Data Protection Law.

New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday spoke about the Centre's decision to withdraw the Personal Data Protection Bill as he said that the government will come up with a new comprehensive framework of global standard laws including the Digital Privacy Laws.

"The reason for withdrawing Personal Data Protection Bill is very simple. While JCP (Joint Committee of Parliament) had given a series of very comprehensive recommendations in his report, a lot of the recommendations, though relevant, were outside the domain of privacy and Data Protection Law": Rajeev Chandrasekhar contended, as quoted by news agency ANI.

According to him, the recommendations were "creating degrees of complexity in increasing the burden of compliance on the small businesses and small startups."

"It was considered more appropriate that we come back with a new comprehensive framework of global standard laws including Digital Privacy Laws that wouldn't just help catalyse startup innovation ecosystem but also protect the fundamental right to privacy of our citizens," the Union MoS added.

Withdrawal Of Data Protection Bill

Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday moved the motion for withdrawal of the Data Protection Bill in Lok Sabha.

"The Data Protection Bill 2021 as reported by the Joint Committee may be withdrawn," he said. The House adopted the motion.

The minister later stated that Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was deliberated in great detail by the Joint Committee of Parliament and 81 amendments were proposed in a bill of 99 sections. "Over and above that, there are 12 more major recommendations. So with this as background, there was no way but to put a fresh draft," Vaishnaw informed, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The bill was sent to a Joint Committee of Parliament which gave its report on December 16, 2021.

As per the Union IT minister, the government is hopeful of getting a new legislation passed by the next Budget session of Parliament.

The 2019 bill sought to bring a strong and robust data protection framework for India and to set up an Authority for protecting personal data and empowering the citizens' with rights relating to their personal data ensuring their fundamental right to "privacy and protection of personal data".

According to PTI sources, the next version of the Bill along with the IT Act amendment, national data governance framework, etc will be placed in Parliament to address all issues of the IT sector, including data privacy.

The government will now simultaneously work on the IT Act amendment, data protection, national data governance framework, cyber security, etc, and table them in Parliament.

(With Agency Inputs)