The Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy cordially invites you to the fourth conversation in the series ‘Of Bridges and Breaks: The Constitution at a Crossroads‘. This conversation will focus on ‘Personal Data under the Constitution’ on 12th January, 2022 (Wednesday), at 5:30 p.m. 

Following the Supreme Court’s 2017 decision affirming a fundamental right to privacy under the Constitution and its 2018 decision on the Aadhaar Act, the governance and governmental use of information technology in India has seen a range of developments at a rapid pace. Much of the conversation on these developments has gravitated towards “informational privacy” or the right of an individual to exercise control over information related to them. This interest in informational privacy has been a paramount concern in a variety of issues related to the use of DNA technology, facial recognition systems, the Pegasus spyware, the legal duties of internet platforms, and national security surveillance. In the midst of this flurry of events, the wait for a comprehensive data protection law continues, and it is critical that we have greater clarity on precisely what protection our Constitution provides for our personal data. 

Speakers

• K.V. Viswanathan, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India and former Additional Solicitor General
• Mariyam Kamil, DPhil Candidate, University of Oxford and General Editor, Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal (2019-20)

The conversation will be moderated by Lalit Panda, Senior Resident Fellow (Charkha), Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy.

The event will also be broadcasted live on India International Centre’s YouTube Channel.

ABOUT ‘OF BRIDGES & BREAKS: THE CONSTITUTION AT A CROSSROADS’

Charkha, Vidhi’s research centre dedicated to constitutional law, in collaboration with the India International Centre, is hosting a year-long series of nuanced digital conversations on the Constitution of India titled “Of Bridges and Breaks: The Constitution at a Crossroads”.

Recent developments in India indicate it is of utmost importance that we pay attention to the acceleration of constitutional change, as well as the widespread reliance on the document’s language and ethos. As part of this series, we will facilitate conversations between academicians, legal practitioners, and social workers, to underscore how different constitutional structures play out in practice.