Today is 13th May 2026. Barring unforeseen circumstances, DPDPA should be fully implemented on 13th May 2027 with the possibility of penalties being imposed for non compliance.
Today is also the day when the important hearing takes place in the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of DPDPA as a law. In terms of probability, however low it is, there is a possibility of the Act being scrapped. More probably there may be a reading down of the law. The possibility of any major changes that affect the industry is insignificant.
The Challenge has been filed in the form of a number of Public Interest Litigations and a battery of well know PIL lawyers are representing them.
It is interesting to note that FDPPI has filed an intervention petition to defend DPDPA and assist the Court in finding a harmonious resolution for the agitated RTI activists and Journalists.
In the meantime, the Government has set up the Search Committees for constituting the Data Protection Board and its members and issued an advertisement to call for applications.
By 5th June 2026, the last date for receiving applications will be end.
Hopefully by end of June, the selections may be over and by end of July DPB may be in place.
Then action to get the website of DPB should commence. Some work on this has already been completed in the background by the NeGD and hence we can see the website of DPB soon in place. This will be the “Digital Office of DPB” and hence an important instrument in implementing DPDPA.
The first action point for the DPB will be from 13th November 2026 when applications will be received from organizations intending to be registered as “Consent Managers”.
The Count down has begun… Let us brace for the impact.
Naavi
