MC Exclusive | Govt won't have unfettered access to citizens' personal data, says Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Illustrative picture of Rajeev Chandrasekhar

The government won't have an unfettered access to citizens' personal data and consent will be taken except in circumstances like national security or health emergencies, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on August 9.

"There is nothing unfettered about govt access to data. Exceptions are only in cases of national security and emergencies like pandemic, earthquake. You don't expect law enforcement agency to knock on the door of terrorist for consent," he told Moneycontrol in an interview today.

"Privacy in our scheme of things is not absolute. There are always reasonable restrictions in privacy as there are in freedom of expression," he added.

The Centre has introduced certain "legitimate causes" in the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill where the government largely and, in a few cases, private entities can process citizens' data without explicit consent.

The Digital Personal Data Protection bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha on August 9. Earlier on August 7, the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha. The bill will become law after President Draupadi Murmu grants her assent.

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

These could be in cases related to the sovereignty and integrity of the country, security, friendly relations with foreign states, maintenance of public order or preventing incitement to any cognisable offence relating to any of these.