Which of the Digital India Act, Data Protection Law, and Telecom Bill Will be Brought Before Parliament?

The Digital India Act (DIA) is seen as the successor to the IT Act, which has been in place for 22 years. Recognizing the ever-changing technology landscape, the government has introduced the DIA, which has undergone pre-consultation and is now preparing for further consultation with stakeholders.

From the center’s point of view, the purpose of making this law is to make legislation ready for the future, of course to the extent possible. The government has opted for wide consultation to move forward and ensured that the core of such legislation is based on principles, as the landscape and challenges of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence are changing rapidly. So the government is trying to make a law that can be developed according to the need of time and moment.

Another important bill that was expected to come up during the ongoing Parliament session is the Telecom Bill, but it is unlikely to be introduced in the monsoon session. Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in May that the bill, a draft of which was released for public comment late last year, would ideally be completed by July as the government has already consulted with several stakeholders.

This bill replaces the current legal framework governing telecommunications in India, which includes the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1933 and the Telegraph Wires (Unlawful Possession) Act of 1950. The focus is on updating the current telecommunications laws and drafting legislation. For 4G, 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), Industry 4.0, M2M communication, mobile edge computing, e.g.

According to the authorities, however, more evaluation is still needed, and the government does not want to rush it. In addition, since the Telecommunications Act has not yet been approved by the government, it cannot be presented in this parliamentary session.

But in the monsoon session, the IT ministry hopes to get the Digital Personal Data Protection Act in place and passed, which has already received Cabinet approval in July. This bill is important because it concerns issues related to personal data. The government hopes that once this bill is passed in Parliament, it will create a profound behavioral change across all digital platforms that process personal data of Indian citizens.

This bill is ready to protect the data of citizens, but it will not make it difficult for businesses to operate in India. Despite some concerns raised after the draft was released, most stakeholders have welcomed the bill, saying it is a well-constructed piece of legislation that includes all the goals and praising it for its strong privacy protections.