Parliament committee on data protection likely to table report on Dec 21

The Joint Committee of Parliament examining the Personal Data Protection Bill is likely to table its report on the floor of the House on December 21, sources said on Friday.

The bill, seeking to provide for the protection of personal data of individuals and establish a Data Protection Authority for the same, was brought in Parliament in 2019 and was referred to the Joint Committee for further scrutiny on the demand of opposition members.

P P Chaudhary of the ruling BJP on Thursday had moved a motion seeking extension up to the last week of Winter Session of Parliament for the 30-member panel to submit its report. The ongoing session ends on December 23.

This is for the sixth time the committee's tenure has been extended.

The Personal Data Protection Bill seeks to regulate the use of individual's data by the government and private companies.

The Joint Committee of Parliament on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 had last month adopted the report on the bill, which provided the government with powers to give exemptions to its probe agencies from the provisions of the Act, a move opposed by opposition MPs who filed their dissent notes.

Opposition leaders have been opposing certain provisions of the bill, including giving unbridled powers to the state and its agencies for use of personal data.