This article was originally published in The Asian Age. Personal data is freely accessible, shared and even sold, and those to whom this information belongs have little control over its flow. In 2011 it was estimated that the quantity of data produced globally surpassed 1.8 zettabyte. By 2013, it had increased to 4 zettabytes. This […]
Category: Opinion Pieces
Can the judiciary upturn the Lok Sabha speaker’s decision on Aadhaar?
This article was originally published on The Wire. When ruling on the petition filed by Jairam Ramesh challenging passing the Aadhaar Act as a money Bill, the court has differing precedents to look at. In an earlier article, I had argued that the characterisation of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and […]
The Aadhaar Act is not a money bill
This article was originally published on The Wire. While the authority of the Lok Sabha Speaker is final and binding, Jairam Ramesh’s writ petition may allow the Supreme Court to question an incorrect application of substantive principles. Since its introduction as a money bill in the Lok Sabha in the first week of March, the […]
What Whatsapp’s new encryption policy means for India
This article was originally published on Catch News. In the last few days, a suggestion circulating in news reports and social media has been that Whatsapp’s new end-to-end encryption policy might have made unwittingly made the popular mobile application illegal in India. In this article, I dispel this notion and try to view this development […]
False sense of security: Aadhaar is broken, and the new bill doesn’t fix it
This article was originally published on Catch News. Late last evening, the Aadhaar Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha without incorporating any amendments suggested by the Rajya Sabha. In the last 14 days, since its introduction in the Lok Sabha, much has been written about this Bill and the Aadhaar scheme. One of the […]
Privacy concerns overshadow monetary benefits of Aadhaar scheme
This article was co-written with Pranesh Prakash, and originally published in The Hindustan Times. Since its inception in 2009, the Aadhaar system has been shrouded in controversy over issues of privacy, security and viability. It has been implemented without a legislative mandate and has resulted in a PIL in the Supreme Court, which referred it […]
Are we losing our right to privacy on the Internet?
This article was originally published on DNA. Last month, it was reported that National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has proposed the setting up of a National Media Analytics Centre (NMAC). This centre’s mandate would be to monitor blogs, media channels, news outlets and social media platforms. Sources were quoted as stating that the centre would […]
Aadhaar Bill fails to incorporate Standing Committee’s suggestions
This article was originally published on The Wire. In December, 2010, the UPA Government introduced the National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010 in the Parliament. It was subsequently referred to a Standing Committee on Finance by the Speaker of Lok Sabha under Rule 331E of the the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business […]
