“This is misinformation…DPDP Bill not introduced in Parliament”: Rajeev Chandrasekhar refutes CPI MP claim

New Delhi [India], August 1 (ANI): Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday said since the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill has not been introduced in Parliament, the question of considering it in committee does not arise.

Chandrasekhar’s remark came on a request made by CPI MP John Brittas urging Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar to refrain from giving permission to lay the ‘Parliamentary committee report’ on Digital Personal Data Protection Bill.

Accusing the CPI MP Brittas of spreading misinformation in this regard, the Union minister took to Twitter, posting, “This is misinformation and completely wrong. No bill including the proposed DPDP (Digital Personal Data Protection Bill) can be referred to any committee unless it is done so by Parliament. In turn, the bill can be only referred to the committee after the Cabinet-approved bill is introduced in Parliament. DPDP has not been introduced into Parliament and so the question of considering it in committee doesn’t arise.”

Earlier, on July 30, the CPI MP raised objections in his letter to the RS Chairman on the report on the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill.

“I am a member of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology and it is learnt that the Committee, on July 26, 2023, adopted a Report titled ‘Citizen’s data security and privacy’ which contains a Report on the examination and Recommendations of the Committee on the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill,” Brittas said in a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman.

“It is imperative to note that the said Digital Personal Data Protection Bill had neither been introduced before either of the Houses of Parliament till date nor was it referred to the Standing Committee by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha or the Speaker, as the case may be, for examination,” he added.

Brittas urged the Rajya Sabha chairman to send the said report back to the Standing Committee, citing jurisdictional ouster.