Centre for Internet & Society

With the growing importance of forensic data in law enforcement and research, many countries have recognized the need to regulate the collection and use of forensic data and maintain DNA databases. Across the world around 60 countries maintain DNA databases which are generally regulated by specific legislations. Srinivas Atreya provides a broad overview of the important provisions of four different legislations which can be compared and contrasted with the Indian draft bill.


This research was undertaken as part of the 'SAFEGUARDS' project that CIS is undertaking with Privacy International and IDRC


Efforts to regulate the collection and use of DNA data were started in India in 2007 by the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics through their draft DNA Profiling Bill. Although the bill has evolved from its original conception, several concerns with regard to human rights and privacy still remain. The draft bill heavily borrows the different aspects related to collection, profiling and use of forensic data from the legislations of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.


Click to find an overview of a comparative analysis of DNA Profiling Legislations.

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