Lok Sabha Debates
Regarding Conflict Of Interest Between Empanelled Lawyers Having Private ... on 1 August, 2019
Seventeenth Loksabha > Title: Regarding conflict of interest between empanelled lawyers having private clients and engaged for drafting of the Data Protection Bill. SUSHRI MAHUA MOITRA (KRISHNANAGAR): Hon. Speaker, Sir, again to reiterate what was discussed a few minutes ago, we had also talked about short discussion on the Data Protection Bill, which was assured to us that it would be brought into the business of the House. Even though it was agreed upon in the BAC, it has not come up for discussion. Hence I am bringing up the topic during my Zero Hour. It is a matter of vital public importance. This Government had assured us of a Comprehensive Data Protection Bill. The Aadhaar Judgment, which the Supreme Court had passed, had issued a virtual mandamus to this Government to bring in a Data Protection Bill. माननीय अध्यक्ष : माननीय सदस्य, आपने जो विषय दिया है, उसी पर चर्चा कीजिए ।
…(व्यवधान)
सुश्री महुआ मोइत्रा : अध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं वही कर रही हूं ।…(व्यवधान)
HON. SPEAKER: No. SUSHRI MAHUA MOITRA: I am talking on Data Protection.
HON. SPEAKER: No. SUSHRI MAHUA MOITRA: I am talking on Data Protection, Sir. This is my point.
HON. SPEAKER: No. SUSHRI MAHUA MOITRA: Yes.
माननीय अध्यक्ष : आपने जो विषय दिया है, उसी विषय को पढ़िए ।
…(व्यवधान)
सुश्री महुआ मोइत्रा: अध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं उसी के बारे में बोल रही हूं ।…(व्यवधान) Give me one second, Sir…(Interruptions) HON. SPEAKER: No. … (Interruptions)
माननीय अध्यक्ष : आपने जो विषय दिया है, उसी विषय पर ही बोलिए । अगर आपको विषय बदलना है, तो परमीशन लेनी पड़ेगी । …(व्यवधान)
माननीय अध्यक्ष : माननीय सदस्य को समझा दीजिए ।
…(व्यवधान)
SUSHRI MAHUA MOITRA : I have written my subject. My subject is: conflict on empanelment. I am brining it up. You had assured us of a Comprehensive Data Protection Bill, which has not come up for discussion. We also get to know that there are various empanelled lawyers with various Ministries including the Ministry of IT and the Ministry of Justice, which have private clients, which may be in the field of technology. What I want to know is, there is a basic conflict of interest. If somebody, if an outside lawyer or a business consultant is working on the draft of a Data Protection Bill, and on the other side has private clients, how do we know that the interests of these private clients are not being brought into the legislative draft of the business? We need to have complete transparency on this. We request all the Ministries including the one that is drafting the Data Protection Bill, to please make public either to the Standing Committee or to all of us as to who are the empanelled GR firms, who are the empanelled lawyers that are helping in drafting the legislation. We need to know, on the other side, who their private clients are in the technology space. It is because we are unable to understand why there is a delay in bringing in this Data Protection Bill. Is it due to the vested interests of some particular technology companies that are putting pressure on the Government via empanelled law firms? This is my submission. Thank you.