Rights groups say vague Data Protection Act to fail RTI, curb Press freedom
Supreme Court lawyer and convenor of The Campaign for Judicial Accountability & Judicial Reforms, Prashant Bhushan alleged that the Act bars and amends RTI Act to stop sharing of personal identifiable information without consent. He said that the provision not only kills the Right to Information Act but also discourages journalists and whistleblowers from exposing the names of corrupt officials without their consent.
'The definitions contained in the Act of data fiduciary, data principal, data processing that anyone be it an activist who seeks personal information through RTI or journalist or a whistleblower attempts to expose corrupt officials then it can be considered an offence under the Act,' Bhushan said.
Former High Court Justice AP Shah in an open letter to Attorney General of India on July 28 said that Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act 'enables public authorities to deny information simply by classifying it as 'personal,' regardless of its public relevance or importance.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
38 minutes ago
- United News of India
BCD warns advocates against online, YouTube solicitation
New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) The Bar Council of Delhi has issued a stern notice cautioning advocates against advertising or soliciting legal work through social media platforms. The regulatory body has flagged the increasing trend of lawyers and self-proclaimed 'legal influencers' posting promotional videos, client interactions, and other content online, which it deemed unethical and in violation of Rule 36 of the Bar Council of India Rules. While issuing a notice, BCD Chairman Surya Prakash Khatri emphasised the seriousness of the matter and stated that such conduct undermines the dignity and sanctity of the legal profession and poses a risk of spreading misinformation, particularly when done by individuals who lack proper legal qualifications or licensing. The Council's notice directs all advocates currently engaged in such activities to take down their content with immediate effect. Failure to comply, it warned, could invite disciplinary action under Section 35 of the Advocates Act, 1961, including suspension or cancellation of their license to practice law. The Bar Council reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the ethical standards of the legal profession and cautioned members of the Bar to refrain from indulging in direct or indirect forms of advertisement or self-promotion that could erode public trust in the legal system. UNI SNG SS 'What is legal and constitutional is moral': Justice Abhay Oka's powerful call for judicial integrity and constitutional morality 06 Aug 2025 | 11:24 PM By Sangeeta Sharma New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) 'Traditional morality is shaped by popular opinion. But judges are bound only by the Constitution.' In a thought-provoking keynote address that struck at the heart of judicial ethics, Justice Abhay S. Oka, former judge of the Supreme Court of India, delivered a scathing and insightful critique of the misuse of personal moral convictions in legal decision-making. see more.. 'One human pulling another is inhuman': Supreme Court bans hand-pulled rickshaws in Matheran 06 Aug 2025 | 11:08 PM New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court today condemned the continued use of hand-pulled rickshaws, calling the practice inhuman and violative of the right to dignity guaranteed by the Constitution. The Court held that such manual labor, which involves a human being pulling another, must be abolished immediately, especially after 78 years of Independence and 75 years of the Constitution. see more.. PM Modi expected to visit China for SCO Summit, in another thaw in bilateral ties 06 Aug 2025 | 10:12 PM New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit China to attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, to be held in Tianjin, from August 31 to September 1. see more.. 06 Aug 2025 | 8:58 PM New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) As US President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on India, taking the total to a high of 50 percent, India termed the move as unfair, unjustified and unreasonable, and reiterated that it will take all actions necessary to protect its national interest. see more.. 06 Aug 2025 | 8:47 PM New Delhi, Aug 6 (UNI) India and Russia today reaffirmed their Strategic Partnership and shared commitment to deepen bilateral industrial and economic cooperation. see more..
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Under HC lens, Punjab govt puts land pooling policy on hold for a day
Chandigarh: The Punjab govt on Wednesday informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that its contentious Land Pooling Policy 2025 would be kept on hold and no further steps taken until the next hearing on Thursday. The state govt's decision came in response to a petition challenging the policy, which aims to acquire thousands of acres of land for developing residential and industrial zones. When the matter came up for hearing, the advocate general, Punjab, requested time to address the contentions in the petition challenging the policy. A bench, headed by Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal, directed the Punjab govt to clarify whether the policy includes provisions for the rehabilitation of landless labourers and others dependent on the land for their livelihood. The bench further questioned the state on whether a social impact assessment was conducted before the policy was notified. It also referred to a Supreme Court verdict in a case of Residents' Welfare Association and another versus Union Territory of Chandigarh emphasising the need for an environmental impact assessment before urban development. The petition was filed by Gurdeep Singh, a 72-year-old resident of Ludhiana, who claimed to have inherited six acres of agricultural land. He argued that the policy is illegal and violates fundamental rights by bypassing mandatory procedures under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act). Singh's plea stated that the land notified for the policy is multi-cropped and irrigated, and that the state failed to follow the necessary provisions of the LARR Act. MSID:: 123143951 413 |
The Hindu
41 minutes ago
- The Hindu
DMK should ignore opposition to separate law against honour-based crimes from caste outfits: Thirumavalavan
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi founder Thol. Thirumavalavan, on Wednesday, said the DMK government should ignore the opposition of the caste outfits in the issue of enacting a separate law against honour-based crimes and pave way for a 'democratic revolution'. Mr Thirumavalavan met with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, along with CPI and CPI (M) state secretaries, R. Mutharasan and P. Shanmugam, on Wednesday. On the other hand, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee observed a day's fast led by its SC wing leader, M.P. Ranjan Kumar, inside the Sathyamurthy Bhavan. Mr. Thirumavalavan pointed out the Hindu Marriage (Tamil Nadu Amendment) Act, 1967, which legalised self-respect marriages, and the implementation of Mandal Commission's recommendations, providing 27% to backward classes in government jobs and in education, also faced stiff opposition from upper castes and dominant castes. 'These were accepted by the larger society over time. The separate law is not a law in favour of scheduled castes. Honour-based crimes are national phenomena – such crimes are happening across communities and States and even within SCs and OBCs. Even recently, an OBC boy attacked another OBC boy for speaking to a girl from his own caste. It is a law against regressiveness and backwardness. CM Stalin should ignore the opposition of caste outfits as the democratic forces within these communities would welcome it,' he told The Hindu. He explained to Mr Stalin about the need for a separate law to tackle such crimes and give it a special focus just as we have separate laws for crimes against women, Scheduled Castes and so on. 'We have given him several references that reiterate why such a law is needed as recommended by National Commission of Women, Law Commission of India, Supreme Court's directives in Shakti Vahini vs Union Of India case and bills introduced as private member bills in Parliament and also a Bill introduced by CPI-M MLA A. Soundarrajan in 2015 in Tamil Nadu Assembly. Even Rajasthan has introduced a separate law against it. We take pride in calling Tamil Nadu a land of social justice and we talk about Dravidian model. He listened to us patiently. He didn't give us any assurance but we hope CM Stalin would enact a separate law. It is needed today,' he said.
