Digital Data Actsec undermines RTI: INDIA bloc

NEW DELHI: Opposition INDIA bloc on Thursday demanded that the govt repeal Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, claiming that it "undermines" the public's ability to access critical information under the RTI Act.
The alliance will submit a petition signed by 120 politicians, including Rahul Gandhi, to electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Responding to concerns raised by Congress's Jairam Ramesh, Vaishnaw clarified that "any personal information subject to disclosure will continue to be disclosed under the RTI Act".
Replying to a letter from Congress' Jairam Ramesh dated March 23, electronics and information technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said it won't restrict disclosure of personal information, "rather it aims at strengthening the privacy rights of individuals and prevent the potential misuse of the law".
Vaishnaw said the DPDP Act is in "harmony with privacy principles as enshrined in the Puttaswamy judgment of Supreme Court and the principles of transparency in public life as enacted in the RTI Act".
Though the DPDP bill received presidential assent on Aug 11, 2023, it is yet to be notified by govt as consultations are underway on the provisions of the law.
In a joint press conference in New Delhi, INDIA bloc members said they would wait to see if govt repeal's the section and addresses their concerns before deciding on future course of action, like seeking legal recourse.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi said that "very surreptitiously, maliciously and mischievously, the right of citizens to information has been snatched" by the DPDP Act.
Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Priyanka Chaturvedi, CPM's John Brittas, DMK's MM Abdullah, SP's Javed Ali and RJD's Naval Kishor also addressed the presser. Key alliance members such as NCP (SP) and TMC have endorsed the petition.
Gogoi said RTI Act's Section 8(1) states that if somebody seeks personal information, which has no public interest in it, that information can be withheld. But, in case the information is relevant in public interest, it cannot be withheld even if it means giving some personal information about someone, he said quoting the section.
He claimed that Section 44(3), which undermines Section 8(1) of the RTI Act, says notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, there shall be no obligation to give any citizen information that relates to personal information.