The Supreme Court issues notice on a petition challenging provisions of India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 and related rules, after hearing arguments from media publishers that the law could restrict news gathering. Senior advocate Madhavi Divan, appearing for the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), seeks an interim stay while asking the court to strike down key parts of the legislation.
Publishers argue that consent requirements could make routine reporting unworkable, including when journalists cover individuals whose data processing might need permission. They also contend the absence of a clear journalistic exemption risks treating journalism as personal data processing, potentially chilling investigative work and confidentiality of sources.
Different outlets frame the issue around press freedom and the right to information. Some coverage emphasizes the warning that the DPDP regime could function as “pre-censorship,” while other reporting focuses on the Supreme Court’s procedural step—calling for a Centre response and setting a future hearing date—alongside the core constitutional objections raised by the petitioners.
