When the government set up the committee on Data Protection in India, led by Justice B.N. Srikrishna, it said that the objective “is to ensure growth of the digital economy while keeping personal data of citizens secure and protected”. The Committee has recently released its provisional views on the formulation of a data protection framework and invited public comments. The Committee does a commendable job on a number of counts. It has covered a wide range of issues pertaining to data protection and privacy. While it has looked at the issues from the prism of what is relevant in India, it has also brought in perspectives from other countries. But there are some important ways in which the Committee can strengthen its final report.

First, it would be useful to anchor the report in some core principles. The Committee must lay out the normative framework which we, as a nation, must aspire to with respect to data protection. Technology will evolve rapidly and the law will need to keep pace with changes. But the overall vision of empowering the individual should be at the heart of all legislation.