Personal Data Protection Bill 2023: The Union Cabinet has approved the draft of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill, 2023. It will be launched in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. The bill proposes to impose a fine of Rs 250 crore on the concerned unit for each violation of the rules. The Monsoon Session of Parliament will begin from July 20. Almost all the clauses of the previous draft have been included in the bill. The draft has been issued by the Ministry of Electronics and IT for consultation. Government departments are not fully exempted in the proposed law. Citizens will have the right to claim compensation in civil courts. In case of dispute, the Data Protection Board will decide.
User consent is required for personal information
Individuals will have the right to seek details regarding their data, its maintenance, etc. after the Act comes into force. Once the law is enacted, many organizations, both public and private, will be required to obtain consent from users to collect and process personal data. Personal data can only be processed under this Bill if the individual consents to it. In all, about 21,660 suggestions were received in the draft and each of them was considered.
The bill aims to hold companies accountable
The work of this bill started on August 27 last year on the orders of the Supreme Court. The bill aims to make organizations like internet companies, mobile apps and private companies more responsible and accountable for collecting, storing and processing citizens’ personal data under the ‘right to privacy’.
