Law Regulating Personal Data Clears Big Step, Opposition Says "Orwellian"

Seven opposition members have given dissent notes on the Centre's new data protection bill. The bill seeks to regulate personal data processing and will ensure that social media platforms and companies dealing with private data follow stringent guidelines, so the right to privacy can be upheld.

The opposition members, however, contend that the proposed law will give unbridled power to the government and its agencies and allow them to get away by using the public order and national security clause in the bill.

Members of the Congress, the Trinamool Congress and the Biju Janata Dal gave dissent notes to the Joint Committee, which was examining the bill before it is taken up by Parliament.

The dissenting MPs included Congress's Jairam Ramesh, Manish Tewari, Gaurav Gogoi and Vivek Tankha, Trinamool's Derek O'Brien and Mahua Moitra and Biju Janata Dal's Amar Patnaik.

The Trinamool MPs described the bill as "Orwellian" in nature and raised questions on the functioning of the committee. In their dissent note, they have alleged that the committee rushed through its mandate and did not provide sufficient time and opportunity for stakeholder consultations, sources said.

Mr O'Brien and Mahua Moitra also said they oppose the bill for lack of adequate safeguards to protect the right to privacy of data principles.