New Delhi: Senior judges, lawyers, journalists, rights groups and social movements raised strong concerns on Wednesday about the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. They said the law threatens the right to information and press freedom. The warning came at a national consultation organised by the Roll Back RTI Amendments Campaign, along with CJAR and the Foundation for Media Professionals.
Speakers said the DPDP Act contains provisions that weaken transparency. The concern increased after the government notified the DPDP Rules on November 14, 2025 and activated major parts of the Act. Section 44(3), which amends the RTI Act to block access to personal information even when disclosure is necessary to expose corruption, drew strong criticism. Legal experts said this change reverses key protections of the 2005 RTI Act.
Justice Madan Lokur highlighted the impact of the DPDP Act by referring to a recent fire in Goa that killed 25 people. He asked who approved the fireworks and who inspected the building. He said such information could be withheld under the DPDP Act. Justice Rekha Sharma said people across India must understand how the law affects their ability to seek answers.
The consultation brought together social movements, civil society organisations, judges, senior lawyers, journalists, researchers and activists. Journalists said the law will hinder investigative reporting that depends on access to documents, inspection reports and service records of public officials. Representatives from movements working on food security, women’s rights, public health and labour issues said the law will obstruct monitoring of welfare schemes and public spending.
RTI activists Anjali Bhardwaj, Nikhil Dey, Dr. Ghulam Shaikh and Amrita Johri said the DPDP Act weakens the RTI framework. They said activists, journalists, lawyers and NGOs collecting or analysing information risk being classified as data fiduciaries, which exposes them to heavy compliance burdens and penalties.
Participants also raised concerns about excessive centralisation. The Data Protection Board will be appointed and controlled by the Central Government and can impose penalties of up to 250 crore rupees. Speakers warned that the Board could be used against those seeking accountability. They said the language of privacy is being used to weaken transparency.
Several participants said the law will have a chilling effect on public interest work. They said researchers, community organisations, whistleblowers and journalists face the risk of harassment and litigation. Many noted that monitoring government implementation requires access to records that may now be denied.
The coalition said the DPDP Act is incompatible with constitutional principles of transparency and accountability. They resolved to increase public awareness and challenge the law in court.
By Abdul Bari Masoud
