The Lok Sabha today passed the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 by voice vote after a brief discussion.
It seeks to provide regulation for the use and application of DNA technology for the purpose of establishing the identity of certain category of persons including the victims, offenders, suspects, under trials, missing persons and others.
The bill also seeks to establish a National DNA Data Bank and Regional DNA Data Banks. Speaking on the bill, Science and Technology Minister Dr Harshvardhan said the issues of privacy, confidentiality and data protection have been minutely addressed in this legislation.
He said once the bill becomes a law, it will help in the criminal justice system, finding the families of missing children and other purposes. He said the Bill has gone through scrutiny of several experts in the last 15 years. Earlier, Shashi Tharoor of Congress and N K Premchandran of RSP opposed the bill and demanded to send it to the Standing Committee of the House.