Data protection in airport digital systems: Kerala HC seeks Centre’s response

Kochi: Kerala high court has asked the Union govt and ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) to ascertain whether the Data Protection Board of India has been constituted under Section 18 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, in connection with a PIL concerning the protection of passengers' personal data collected at airports through digital systems such as Digi Yatra.A bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice V M Syam Kumar issued the directive while considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by C R Neelakandan, a social activist and environmentalist. HC directed that the constitution of the board, if it has been formed, shall also be disclosed by way of an affidavit. HC further allowed the petitioner to file a supplementary affidavit disclosing instances where confidentiality has allegedly been breached and adjourned the matter to March 19.The petitioner mainly sought a directive to the civil aviation ministry, Airports Authority of India, and ministry of electronics and information technology to ensure that they handle passengers' personal data in strict compliance with the provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025.Neelakandan also sought an interim directive restraining the Airports Authority of India from allowing any existing commercial licensees, concessionaires, service providers or intermediaries operating at airports to share, commercially exploit or make any unauthorised disclosure of passengers' personal data to third parties.