Govt not to change DPDP Act

CONTENTIOUS LEGISLATION

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

THE GOVERNMENT DOES not see any scope for making changes in the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 and may issue a detailed reply soon to explain issues raised by journalists and civil rights bodies, an official source said on Friday.

Civil rights and journalists' bodies on Wednesday expressed apprehension over the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, saying the provisions under it may fail the Right to Information (RTI) Act and end press freedom. "The (DPDP) Act has been passed by Parliament. Therefore no changes can be made now. Rules are being processed which can only be framed within the ambit of the Act," the source said.

Sources said the DPDP Act and draft rules under it have been framed after receiving thousands of inputs from multiple entities.

About government assurance on frequently asked questions (FAQs), the source said it will be issued soon.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said deletion of the proviso in the RTI Act that recognises citizens' right to information as being at par with that of legislators is "completely unwarranted" and urged IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to pause, review, and repeal the amendment made to the original legislation of 2005.