NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday withdrew from Lok Sabha the DNA Technology (Use & Application) Regulation Bill, 2019, which offered for regulation of use and utility of DNA expertise for establishing id of individuals in prison probes.

Government sources attributed the transfer to the enactment of one other regulation final yr — the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 — that authorises police and jail officers to gather organic samples, together with DNA, of individuals arrested, detained, beneath trial or convicted in a prison case.
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act — which changed the Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920 — expanded the definition of ‘measurements’ which may be collected for identification of arrested individuals and convicts, to incorporate iris and retina scan, bodily, organic samples and their evaluation, behavioural attributes together with signatures, handwriting or some other examination referred to in Section 53 or Section 53A of the CrPC. These measurements could also be taken regardless of resistance by the pattern giver, although an exception is made in case of organic samples which an individual might not permit to be taken except the offence is towards a girl or baby or is punishable for a interval not lower than seven years. While DNA evaluation shouldn’t be particularly talked about within the listing of measurements that will lawfully be collected, the reference to exams beneath Section 53 and 53A of CrPC places to relaxation any doubts on the inclusion of DNA.

A senior authorities functionary stated that similar to the DNA Technology Bill, the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act grants authorized sanction to the usage of DNA testing for prison investigations and assortment of DNA for identification of criminals. Though privateness and information safety considerations had been raised by some members of the standing committee that studied the DNA Technology Bill, sources stated these had been addressed within the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Rules that prohibit any third-party entry to ‘measurements’ information, which might be saved in an encrypted type.
As offered within the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, DNA information might be retained for 75 years.
Meanwhile, sources stated scientific facets of the DNA Bill could also be dealt with by establishing a committee by which all stakeholders are represented.