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Sources last verified on 17 August 2026. Methodology

DPDP Act 2023 · Section 37

Power of Central Government to issue directions

Status
Not yet in force
Commencement
13 May 2027 · computed date, presented as interpretation until officially confirmed (Publication date 13 November 2025 printed on Gazette issue No. 757, plus eighteen months. The missing space in the phrase "section 6,sections 7 to 10" appears as printed in the Gazette text layer.)
Source
The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (Gazette print hosted by MeitY) · Gazette page 17
Last verified
17 August 2026
Official requirement · verbatim

Section 37. Power of Central Government to issue directions.(1) The Central Government or any of its officers specially authorised by it in this behalf may, upon receipt of a reference in writing from the Board that— (a) intimates the imposition of monetary penalty by the Board on a Data Fiduciary in two or more instances; and (b) advises, in the interests of the general public, the blocking for access by the public to any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted, in any computer resource that enables such Data Fiduciary to carry on any activity relating to offering of goods or services to Data Principals within the territory of India, after giving an opportunity of being heard to that Data Fiduciary, on being satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, in the interests of the general public, for reasons to be recorded in writing, by order, direct any agency of the Central Government or any intermediary to block for access by the public or cause to be blocked for access by the public any such information. (2) Every intermediary who receives a direction issued under sub-section (1) shall be bound to comply with the same. (3) For the purposes of this section, the expressions “computer resource”, “information” and “intermediary” shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Commencement basis · Sections 3 to 5, section 6(1) to (8) and (10), sections 7 to 17, section 27 other than section 27(1)(d), sections 28 to 34, sections 36 and 37, and section 44(2) of the Act

“(c) eighteen months from the date of publication of this gazette, on which the provision of sections 3 to 5, sub-sections (1) to (8) and (10) of section 6,sections 7 to 10, sections 11 to 17, section 27 except clause (d) of sub-section (1) of the said section, sections 28 to 34, 36, 37 and sub-section (2) of section 44 of the said Act shall come into force.”

From commencement notification G.S.R. 843(E), Gazette issue No. 757, printed date 13 November 2025.

Sources cited on this page

  1. [1]The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (Gazette print hosted by MeitY) (Act No. 22 of 2023), s. 37, p. 17. Published 11 August 2023. Official source ↗ · Official requirement · Verified 17 August 2026The margin act reference “21 of 2000” is printed beside this section for the Information Technology Act, 2000 cited in subsection (3); it is not part of the section text and is excluded.
  2. [2]Commencement notification for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (G.S.R. 843(E)), (c), p. 2. Published 13 November 2025. Official source ↗ · Official requirement · Verified 17 August 2026Notification G.S.R. 843(E) names this section in the group that comes into force eighteen months from the date of publication of the notification gazette. The computed calendar date, 13 May 2027, is interpretation until officially confirmed.
  3. [3]Commencement notification for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (G.S.R. 843(E)), (c), p. 2. Published 13 November 2025. Official source ↗ · Official requirement · Verified 17 August 2026
  4. [4]Commencement notification for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (G.S.R. 843(E)), p. 1. Published 13 November 2025. Official source ↗ · Interpretation, requires judgment · Verified 17 August 2026The calendar date 13 May 2027 is computed from the printed publication date and is presented as interpretation until officially confirmed. It aligns with the derived date for the main group of the DPDP Rules 2025.