Plea Raises Data Protection Concerns Over 'Digi Yatra', Kerala High Court Seeks Response Of Centre, Digi Yatra Foundation

The Kerala High Court on Thursday (5 March) issued notice to the Digi Yatra Foundation in a public interest litigation (PIL) raising concerns over the protection of passengers' personal data collected at airports through digital systems such as Digi Yatra.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. was hearing a PIL which alleges potential risks in the collection, storage and processing of sensitive passenger data at airports across India.The petitioner CR Neelakandan has sought interim directions to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to ensure that handling of passenger data complies strictly with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025.Among other reliefs, the plea seeks a temporary restraint on airport operators and their commercial partners from sharing or commercially exploiting passengers' personal data or disclosing it to third parties without authorization. It also asks for a stay on pending tenders or contractual arrangements involving private entities where passenger data collection or processing is involved, until adequate data protection clauses consistent with the law are incorporated.The Court directed that notice be issued to the Digi Yatra Foundation, a non-profit company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013, which is involved in implementing the Digi Yatra digital travel platform.The Court also asked counsel appearing for the Union Government to ascertain whether a Board has been constituted under Section 18 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. If such a board has been formed, the details of its constitution are to be placed before the Court through an affidavit.The Court has also permitted the petition to submit a supplementary affidavit detailing specific instances where passenger data confidentiality may have been breached. The matter has been posted for further consideration on March 19, 2026.Case Title : C R Neelakandan v Union of India and Ors. Case No: WP(PIL) 15/ 2026Counsel for Petitioner: Santhosh Mathew (Sr.), Jayasankar RCounsel for Respondent: O M Shalina (DSGI), Arjun venugopal (CGC)Click Here To Read/ Download Interim Order

Plea Raises Data Protection Concerns Over 'Digi Yatra', Kerala High Court Seeks Response Of Centre, Digi Yatra Foundation

Anamika MJ

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