Govt. Appoints Committee Headed By Justice Srikrishna To Recommend Data Protection Framework For India

The Centre has appointed an expert committee, headed by former Supreme Court Judge B.N. Srikrishna, to “identify key data protection issues” in India and recommend methods to address any potential problems.

The Union minister of Electronics and Information Technology on Monday released an official memorandum for formation of the expert committee, which will comprise of ten members, including Unique Identification Authority of India Chief Executive Officer Ajay Bhushan Pandey and Research Director of Vidhi Center for Legal Policy Arghya Sengupta.

Others in the committee include Secretary of the Department of Telecom Aruna Sundararajan, Director of IIT-Raipur Professor Rajat Moona, National Cyber Security Coordinator Gulshan Rai, Director of IIM-Indore Rishikesha T. Krishnan, CEO of Data Security Council of India Rama Vedashree and the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

The committee has been appointed in view of the “growing importance of data protection India.”

“The need to ensure growth of the digital economy while keeping personal data of citizens secure and protected is of utmost importance,” the circular further states, entrusting the committee with the task of putting together a draft data protection bill, and submitting its report “as expeditiously as possible”.

The circular further enunciates on the working of the committee, stating, “MeitY shall in consultation with the Chairperson and members, collect necessary information and provide it to the Committee within 8 weeks of the date of this OM to enable it to start its deliberations on the subject.”