DNA Technology Regulation Bill referred to parliamentary standing committee

The DNA Technology Regulation Bill, which seeks to control the use of DNA technology for establishing the identity of a person, has been referred to a parliamentary standing committee for examination, the Lok Sabha secretariat has said.

The bill that seeks to control the use and application of the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology for establishing the identity of certain categories of persons, including offenders, victims, suspects and undertrials, was passed by the Lok Sabha in July.

The bill has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.

"Members are informed that the Chairman, Rajya Sabha in consultation with the Speaker, Lok Sabha has referred the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019, as introduced in Lok Sabha, to the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests for examination and report within three months," the Lok Sabha secretariat said on October 18.

The chairman of the committee, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, has invited suggestions from the public on the bill.

A similar bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in January last year but it could not be cleared in the Rajya Sabha. The bill had then lapsed with the dissolution of the previous Lok Sabha.

The bill provides for establishment of a national DNA data bank and regional DNA data banks.