Polity · 10 Aug 2026

Section 44(3) DPDP Act RTI

Which one of the following correctly describes the effect of Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 on the Right to Information Act, 2005?

AIt amended Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act to remove the public-interest override, exempting all personal information from disclosure regardless of public interest.
BIt amended Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act to narrow the public-interest override, restricting it only to information about elected representatives.
CIt amended Section 6 of the RTI Act to introduce a new fee structure for requests involving personal information.
DIt repealed Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act entirely, leaving no exemption for personal information at all.
This question is based on: The Question RTI Officers No Longer Have to Ask
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About this question

Why in news

The Supreme Court is examining whether the DPDP Act has effectively gutted the RTI Act by removing the public-interest override, with the case testing whether Parliament can validly resolve the privacy-transparency tension by eliminating the balancing mechanism entirely.

Why for UPSC

UPSC frequently tests amendments that alter the scope of established rights-based legislation; this question checks precise understanding of which provision was amended and the exact nature of the change, rather than a vague "amendment happened" recall.

Prelims summary

Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act, 2023 amended Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005 to remove the public-interest override, making all personal information exempt from RTI disclosure without exception.

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