Data privacy rules to be ready by August-September

Govt says the Constitution doesn't clarify right to privacy as fundamental right nor any SC verdict

The Centre on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that a comprehensive policy on electronic data transmission was on the anvil and would be ready by August-September.

The policy will take care of the privacy controversy involving WhatsApp and Net neutrality, Attorney-General Mukul Rohtagi told a constitution Bench.

The court was hearing an appeal by two students, who alleged that the data available with WhatsApp was not protected and third parties could use them for commercial and other purposes, endangering the users’ privacy. 

While senior counsel Harish Salve argued for the students, Kapil Sibal asserted no data in the hands of