Right To Privacy Will Enhance Digital Services: Nasscom
Nasscom has lauded the supreme court's judgement on Right to Privacy as it will "significantly boost India's attractiveness as a safe destination for global sourcing".
In a landmark judgement the nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled that “privacy is intrinsic to freedom of life and personal liberty” guaranteed in Article 21 of the Constitution of India and qualifies as “a primal natural right”
Commenting on the verdict R Chandrashekhar, President Nasscom said that protection of citizen's privacy is a "cardinal principle" in India's growing digital economy and citizen’s trust in digital services is a prerequisite for widespread digital adoption.
His views were in line with the Ravi Shankar Prasad,IT and Law Minister who he said that government does not give the right to release data to anyone, except in case of compelling public interest.
"As the IT minister of the country, I can't give my data or fingerprint to anyone. Government does not give the right to release data to anyone, except in case of compelling public interest and this compelling public interest shall be affirmed first by the Joint Secretary Home Ministry, vetted by a committee of the Cabinet Secretary, IT Secretary and Law,"
He further added that the government is proud to be recognized worldwide as an emerging digital power due to the initiative of Digital India, Make in India and protection of data is expected to provide a big boost to the digital economy of the country.
The IT and Law minister added that like all other fundamental rights, the right to privacy is also not an absolute right. Saying that data protection is one of the key focuses of the government and they have already formed a committee for data protection.
