Supreme Court to Review Controversial Digital Personal Data Protection Act

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre regarding a plea contesting certain elements of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Filed by The Reporters' Collective and journalist Nitin Sethi, the plea claims that the Act undermines the Right to Information Act and grants the Centre expansive control over personal data.

The Supreme Court has taken a significant step by issuing a notice to the Centre concerning a plea that challenges the constitutional validity of sections within the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Prominent journalist Nitin Sethi and The Reporters' Collective have asserted that the Act significantly weakens the Right to Information Act and extends sweeping powers to the government over personal data.

A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, has decided to scrutinize the legal nuances of the Act. However, they declined to impose an interim stay on the contested provisions.

Advocate Vrinda Grover, representing the petitioners, criticized the Act for its lack of specificity in safeguarding privacy, arguing that it is overly broad and damages the transparency framework established by the RTI Act.

(With inputs from agencies.)