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SC to Examine if DPDP Act 2023 Can Cripple RTI Act, Gag Investigative Journalism

PolityCORE
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCTeachingSSC GABankingPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
07 Aug 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:DPDP Act 2023RTI Act 2005Section 44(3)Section 8(1)(j)Subhash Chandra Agarwal caseIndian Express Bombay Pvt Ltd case
Bodies:Supreme Court
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.SC to examine if DPDP Act 2023 overrides RTI Act 2005 by allowing blanket refusal of personal information.

2.Section 44(3) of DPDP Act amended RTI Section 8(1)(j) which earlier required balancing privacy and public interest.

3.Petitioners argue the provision turns right to privacy on its head, protecting state functionaries from disclosure and threatening investigative journalism.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

Supreme Court agreed to examine whether the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 can be used to cripple the Right to Information (RTI) Act by classifying all data as 'personal' and gag investigative journalists. The court flagged a potential repugnancy between the two central laws and will decide if Section 44(3) of DPDP Act that amended RTI Section 8(1)(j) allows public authorities to blanketly refuse information.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Key ActsDPDP Act 2023 & RTI Act 2005
Amending ProvisionSection 44(3) of DPDP Act
Amended RTI SectionSection 8(1)(j)
Landmark Cases CitedSubhash Chandra Agarwal case, Indian Express Bombay Pvt Ltd case

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Key Acts: DPDP Act 2023 & RTI Act 2005
  • ›Amending Provision: Section 44(3) of DPDP Act
  • ›Target this Data: Section 44(3) of DPDP Act 2023 amended Section 8(1)(j) of RTI Act 2005
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Supreme Court of India
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Repugnancy between two central laws (DPDP Act and RTI Act)

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which act was amended by Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the Supreme Court's observations on the DPDP Act and RTI Act:

1. The DPDP Act 2023 applies only to data in digital form.

2. The RTI Act 2005 originally allowed public authorities to blankly refuse personal information without any conditions.

3. The Supreme Court said journalists are a special category with unreserved access to data.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricEasy

Which section of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 amended the Right to Information Act, 2005?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

According to the petitioners in the Supreme Court, what is the primary effect of Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act on the right to privacy?

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