India, May 28 -- Earlier this year, the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) sought public feedback on the draft rules for the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. At present, stakeholder feedback is being considered, and the final rules await imminent enforcement. Thus, it is important to understand the effectiveness of the institutional framework of the Data Protection Board (DPB) established under the Act and operationalised through the rules.

DPB, an enforcement and adjudicatory body, will receive complaints from individuals and references from the government, conduct inquiries, and impose penalties on organisations failing to comply with the Act's provisions. The draft rules prescribe the...