The key government authorities in both Pakistan and Sri Lanka have released new versions of their data privacy Bills for public comment. Both involve strengthening the Bills in the direction of standards developed in the European Union’s GDPR. but they have also introduced some weaknesses. This article analyses how these Bills differ from the predecessors, and who benefits from the changes.

In India, South Asia’s dominant economy, there is no such progress to report. The Joint Parliamentary Committee of 30 members on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 was scheduled to meet on 29 September 2021, supposedly to finalise its draft report on the government’s Bill. The new Committee Chairperson PP Chaudhary, who succeeded Meenakshi Lekhi upon his becoming a Minister in July, has proposed amendments.