The Good Governance Committee presented its review report on the National Digital Identity Bill 2023 at the National Assembly today. One of the recommendations made by the committee was on a section concerning the disqualification of a member of the governing body. The recommendation was, however, rejected by the house.
The Chairperson of the Good Governance Committee submitted 55 recommendations on the bill for deliberation.
During the discussions, a few members raised concerns about the privacy of information.
However, Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Employment, Karma Dorji, said a person’s personal information will not be freely accessible.
“In the NDI system, if others want to see our data, only we can disclose it to them. If it is for medical purposes, only I can disclose my data to the doctor from my wallet.”
He added that only the owner of the identity will have the authority to decide whether to share one’s information or not.
The Good Governance Committee also recommended having a new section to replace section 7 which is on the disqualification of a member of the governing body.
The governing body shall comprise of not more than five members and be appointed by the government amongst a list of candidates nominated by the GovTech agency.
However, the majority of the members voted against the recommendation and the house decided to retain the original clause.
The House will continue its deliberation on the bill tomorrow.
Devika Pradhan/Karma Wangdi
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
