Data protection bill in winter session?

IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said that the government is holding in-depth consultation on draft personal data protection bill and will try to table it in the coming winter session of the Parliament. 

The government intends to have wide consultation on the draft bill including inter-ministerial discussions, and all efforts are being made to fast-track it, he told reporters in New Delhi.

He also said that the efforts are on to introduce the bill in the upcoming session of the Parliament beginning December 11.

"This being a milestone legislation, widest consultation is always desirable. One (phase of consultation) was done under Justice B N Srikrishna, next we put it up online for feedback... Then there will be an inter-ministerial consultation," Prasad said.

The draft bill suggests steps for safeguarding personal information, defines obligations of data processors as also rights of individuals, and proposes penalties for violation.

The draft of Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018, also imposes conditions on the cross-border transfer of personal data, and suggests setting up of Data Protection Authority of India to prevent any misuse of personal information.