The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the
Centre on a plea challenging the constitutional validity of several provisions
of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.
The plea, moved by The Reporters' Collective and
renowned journalist Nitin Sethi, argues that the new data regime severely
dilutes the Right to Information (RTI) Act and grants the Centre "sweeping
powers" over personal data.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and
justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, while agreeing to examine the
legal complexities of the Act, refused to grant an interim stay on the impugned
provisions.
Representing the petitioners, advocate Vrinda Grover
said that the Act lacks surgical precision in its attempt to protect privacy.
"Instead of using a chisel, (the legislature)
has used a hammer, and has thus rendered a body blow (to RTI), " the
senior lawyer said.
The petition said the DPDP Act creates a blanket bar
on the disclosure of personal information, effectively dismantling the
transparency framework established by the RTI Act.