Delhi High Court to Review PIL on Vehicle Owner Data Privacy
The Central Government has assured the Delhi High Court of a comprehensive review of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning apps that share personal details of vehicle owners. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, represented by counsel, informed the bench led by Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rai Gedela that the allegations in the petition are being taken seriously and are under active investigation. The court has directed that an affidavit be filed within eight weeks, with any rejoinder affidavit to be submitted before the next hearing on February 19, 2025.
The PIL, filed by advocate Gopal Bansal, requests the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to revoke the policy allowing access to the National Register, a centralized database of Driving Licenses and Registration Certificates. Bansal also seeks legislation from the Ministry of Law and Justice to protect this register and calls for the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to stop mobile apps that breach this data.
The petitioner highlighted that several apps on the Google Play Store allow users to access sensitive vehicle information by entering a registration number. Bansal argues that such data should be protected under the Right to Information Act, 2005, and claims that despite a new policy, data is still being sold to third parties. The plea raises concerns about privacy violations and security risks due to easy access to personal details, urging for stricter data protection laws.
Doubts Revealed
Delhi High Court -: The Delhi High Court is a court in India that deals with legal cases in the capital city, New Delhi. It makes important decisions on various legal matters.
PIL -: PIL stands for Public Interest Litigation. It is a legal action taken to protect the public interest, often related to issues affecting a large number of people.
Vehicle Owner Data Privacy -: This refers to the protection of personal information of people who own vehicles, like their names and addresses, from being shared without their permission.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways -: This is a part of the Indian government responsible for planning and managing roads and highways, and also for vehicle regulations.
Affidavit -: An affidavit is a written statement made under oath, used as evidence in court. It is like a promise that the information given is true.
National Register -: The National Register is a database that contains information about all registered vehicles in India, including details about their owners.
Advocate Gopal Bansal -: Advocate Gopal Bansal is a lawyer who has filed the PIL in court, asking for changes to protect vehicle owners’ personal data.
Data Protection Laws -: These are rules and regulations designed to keep people’s personal information safe and private, preventing misuse or unauthorized access.
