The government on July 25, withdrew the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 from Lok Sabha as most of its provisions are covered in a Bill related to criminal procedure. The Bill was introduced on July 8, 2019
What is DNA Technology Regulation Bill?
DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 enables technology for the purposes of establishing the identity of certain categories of people, including victims, offenders, suspects, undertrials, those missing and unidentified deceased. The purpose of this Bill was to expand the application of DNA-based forensic technologies to support and strengthen the justice delivery system of the country. The utility of DNA based technologies for solving crimes, and to identify missing persons, is well recognized across the world. By providing for the mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories, the Bill seeks to ensure that with the proposed expanded use of this technology in this country, there is also the assurance that the DNA test results are reliable, and furthermore that the data remain protected from misuse or abuse in terms of the privacy rights of our citizens.
The Bill aims to the establishment of a DNA Regulatory Board, giving accreditation of DNA laboratories undertaking such testing, analysing, etc, and establishing the National and Regional DNA Data Banks. The Bill was aimed at assisting in forensic investigations and would have aided in scientific up-gradation and streamlining of the DNA testing activities in the country with appropriate inputs from the DNA Regulatory Board which would be set up for the purpose.
However, the according to the government, as most of the provisions of the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill have broadly been covered in the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 brought by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, a decision was taken by the government to withdraw the DNA Bill.
