Lok Sabha clears Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) bill

The Lok Sabha has passed the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) bill on the 18th day of the monsoon session of parliament.

The bill was presented for consideration on Monday by Ashwin Vaishnav, Minister of union electronics and IT. It introduces India's first data privacy law. The bill is now set to be considered in Rajya Sabha.

It allows private entities and the government to process citizens' data on grounds of "legitimate causes" and without any explicit consent. Restrictions have been imposed on platforms on processing children's data.

The bill will also see the setting up of a Data Protection Board, which will regulate data protection. The board's members and chairperson will be appointed by the central government.

The Bill also amends the Right to Information Act, 2005, to remove public interest exemptions on disclosing personal information.

DPDP says its provisions will not apply to the processing of personal data when notified by “instrumentality of the state as the central government may notify".