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# Indian Government Unexpectedly Withdraws the Personal Data Protection Bill
- URL: https://www.ardentprivacy.ai/blog/india/
- Published: 2022-08-05T17:54:10.000Z
- Updated: 2025-09-30T10:46:09.000Z
- Author: Sameer Ahirrao
- Tags: blog, #chris

The Indian government has [withdrawn](https://techcrunch.com/2022/08/03/india-government-to-withdraw-personal-data-protection-bill/?ref=ardentprivacy.ai) the Personal Data Protection Bill from consideration by Parliament. The Bill, first proposed in 2019, was withdrawn by the government on August 4th after a parliamentary panel suggested many changes and amendments. The government has announced that it aims to [present](https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/8/4/india-withdraws-data-protection-and-privacy-bill?ref=ardentprivacy.ai#:~:text=The%202019%20privacy%20bill%20was,burden%20and%20data%20storage%20requirements.) a new rewritten privacy bill within the next few months.

**Why?**

The joint parliamentary committee which had been deliberating the bill proposed 81 amendments and a 12-point legal framework for the digital space. The bill had imposed strong regulations on data use by private companies, but the government and its agencies were entirely exempt. Advocacy groups and opponents in Parliament said this exemption [could be abused](https://www.reuters.com/world/india/indian-government-withdraws-data-protection-bill-2022-08-03/?ref=ardentprivacy.ai) to violate Indians' fundamental right to privacy, and were concerned that the drafting and committee process did not involve enough civil society input.

The government [withdrew the bill](https://theprint.in/india/governance/why-modi-govt-withdrew-the-personal-data-protection-bill/1068073/?ref=ardentprivacy.ai) because the large number of proposed amendments suggested that an entirely new legal framework is necessary--incorporating the many changes would have been outside the scope of the existing law.

**What Now?**

As it stands, India remains without a comprehensive privacy law. Reaction to the withdrawal is mixed and still uncertain, since it happened so recently. Opposition figures in government [decry the loss](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/centre-withdraws-personal-data-protection-bill/articleshow/93323625.cms?ref=ardentprivacy.ai) of the Data Protection Bill as a victory of Big Tech's lobbying, despite [some opposing parts of the bill](https://indianexpress.com/article/india/data-protection-bill-report-congress-mp-jairam-ramesh-dissent-note-7635221/?ref=ardentprivacy.ai) as written. Privacy advocates are optimistic that a fully rewritten bill will not grant the same sweeping exemptions to the government.

The new proposed bill will be revealed soon for review and input from stakeholders and the public. It remains to be seen what changes the government plans to make for its new privacy framework. India has one of the fastest-growing tech industries and largest internet userbases in the world--it needs an effective privacy law to protect its citizens. While the bill may have granted too much authority to government agencies, pulling the bill entirely rather than amending it is a setback for Indian data privacy law.

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