SC flags private access to sensitive PF, I-T data, asks Centre to prevent misuse by firms NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday expressed concern about a commercial technological ecosystem which allegedly accesses, retrieves and verifies sensitive individual information on provident fund and income tax returns and told the Centre about the desirability of devising an antidote to the problem with the assistance of domain experts.Hearing a PIL by Piyush Sharma, a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana noted the matter essentially fell within policy domain but termed private access to sovereign data – individual information given to govt under legislative mandate – and its commercial exploitation as worrisome.Petitioner said his personal inquiry into the issue had revealed that “upon merely furnishing PAN and UAN details to a private verification workflow, the petitioner received complete employment history corresponding the said identifiers. No OTP authentication was generated. No explicit consent was obtained. No visible authorisation-based identity verification process was undertaken”.Without blaming govt agencies for any leakage of data, the petitioner highlighted the insecure status of individual data given to govt under the mandate of different laws, as they are accessed at will by private entities.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelines”Despite the statutory architecture governing EPFO and I-T data, there appears to be an emerging and concerning pattern wherein private employment verification ecosystems rely upon data corresponding to statutory employment and financial records for purposes such as employment verification, moonlighting detection, dual employment screening, labour market profiling and employment decision-making,” he said.SC agreed it was a serious matter but said it must be dealt with through a policy decision. On learning the petitioner sent two comprehensive representations on the issues to Centre, it asked govt to take “necessary steps to prevent misuse of individual data by private enterprises.”Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTMC’s Abhishek Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Over Delay In Disqualification Of 20 Rebel TMC MPsTrump Pushes $103,265 H-1B Fee; 71% Indian Professionals Brace For Major Immigration BlowJaishankar Meets Putin In Moscow, India-Russia Trade Soars As Both Sides Target $100 Billion By 2030Fresh Kashmiri Pandit Threat: Hit List Reveals Addresses, Phone Numbers, Vehicle Details OnlineDelhi-NCR Rain Fury: Gurugram Under Orange Alert, Work From Home Advisory Issued For August 25’Ram-Ram Inside, Fish Feast Outside’: Yogi Adityanath Slams Cong Over Ayodhya Event; Ajay Rai ReactsDisplaced By Ken-Betwa Project, Tribals Now Struggle For Basic Amenities | ExclusiveIn Leaked Audio, Lawrence Bishnoi’s Aide Goldy Brar Claims He Killed Hardeep Nijjar In Canada‘Watching Your Every Move’: Fresh Threat Letter Targets Kashmiri Pandits In J&KChennai Murder Mystery: Woman’s Remains Found on Tamil Nadu Express, Police Hunt Couple in Odisha123PhotostoriesSreeleela’s fish-cut saree just gave traditional draping a seriously savage upgrade10 beautiful baby girl names that capture a sense of wonderOptical Illusion personality test: What you spot first reveals the weak spot in your love lifePriyanka Chopra’s architectural black gown just proved that red-carpet glam needs a little more attitude10 of the world’s most colourful birds to see in the wildBlood sugar running high despite cutting back on sweets? Doctors explain 5 nutrients that may help your body manage glucose better‘She believed in the old nuskhas’: Karisma Kapoor reveals her grandmother’s skincare secret that the Kapoor clan adoptedArchana Puran Singh’s son Aaryamann Sethi set to buy his first luxurious house; tells Parmeet, ‘Your son is becoming a man’Kiara Advani’s black velvet saree is proof that gothic glam looks better with a desi twistFrom water filters to kitchen bowls: 5 practical uses of coconut shell123Hot PicksTCS laptop monitoring softwareSchool holiday todayKPMG AustraliaTrump tariffIOB LBO recruitmentNEET UG 2026Parandur airportSIM card rulesNEET PG 2026 admit cardTop TrendingMumbai Auto Driver ProtestReservation Hatao AndolanKurukshetra MurderPunjab SIRCM VijayDelhi ITO AccidentChennai MurderGodhani Water Plant Gas LeakAmravati Hospital FireAston Martin Crash
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday expressed concern about a commercial technological ecosystem which allegedly accesses, retrieves and verifies sensitive individual information on provident fund and income tax returns and told the Centre about the desirability of devising an antidote to the problem with the assistance of domain experts.Hearing a PIL by Piyush Sharma, a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana noted the matter essentially fell within policy domain but termed private access to sovereign data – individual information given to govt under legislative mandate – and its commercial exploitation as worrisome.Petitioner said his personal inquiry into the issue had revealed that “upon merely furnishing PAN and UAN details to a private verification workflow, the petitioner received complete employment history corresponding the said identifiers. No OTP authentication was generated. No explicit consent was obtained. No visible authorisation-based identity verification process was undertaken”.Without blaming govt agencies for any leakage of data, the petitioner highlighted the insecure status of individual data given to govt under the mandate of different laws, as they are accessed at will by private entities.
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“Despite the statutory architecture governing EPFO and I-T data, there appears to be an emerging and concerning pattern wherein private employment verification ecosystems rely upon data corresponding to statutory employment and financial records for purposes such as employment verification, moonlighting detection, dual employment screening, labour market profiling and employment decision-making,” he said.SC agreed it was a serious matter but said it must be dealt with through a policy decision. On learning the petitioner sent two comprehensive representations on the issues to Centre, it asked govt to take “necessary steps to prevent misuse of individual data by private enterprises.”
