DNA profiling Bill in Monsoon Session, Centre informs SC

DNA profiling Bill in Monsoon Session, Centre informs SC

Context

PIL plea seeks use of technology to identify unclaimed bodies

What has happened?

Last year, the Law Commission of India, in its 271st report, prepared the draft Bill named, The DNA Based Technology (Use and Regulation) Bill, 2017, after examining various judicial pronouncements and constitutional provisions

Background

The government was responding to a PIL petition filed by NGO Lok Niti Foundation in 2012 on the use of DNA profiling for identifying unclaimed bodies, especially to match them with old cases of missing persons

Court observed

With the competent authority undertaking to bring about a legislation there was no need for a mandamus from the Supreme Court in this issue

Law Commission report

• Last year, the Law Commission of India, in its 271st report, prepared the draft Bill named, The DNA Based Technology (Use and Regulation) Bill, 2017, after examining various judicial pronouncements and constitutional provisions
• The Commission recorded that DNA profiling was indeed used for disaster victim identification, investigation of crimes, identification of missing persons and human remains and for medical research purposes.
• It, however, also flagged that privacy concerns and the ethics involved in this scientific collection of data were very high.
• The commission said the procedure for DNA profiling, if given statutory recognition, should be done legitimately as per constitutional provisions