DNA Technology Regulation Bill referred to Parliamentary panel

New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) The DNA Technology Regulation Bill that provides for establishment of a national DNA data bank and regional DNA data banks and was passed by Lok Sabha in July has been referred to a parliamentary standing committee for examination and come back with a report in three months.

The bill seeks to provide the regulation for use and application of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology for the purpose of establishing the identity of certain categories of persons including victims, offenders, suspects, undertrials, missing persons and unknown deceased persons.

“Members are informed that the Chairman, Rajya Sabha in consultation with the Speaker, Lok Sabha has referred the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019, as introduced in Lok Sabha, to the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests for examination and report within three months,” the Lok Sabha secretariat said in a bulletin.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha had passed “The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019 with voice vote after a brief discussion in January.

The bill could not be cleared in the Rajya Sabha and lapsed with the dissolution of the previous Lok Sabha.

The bill has gone through scrutiny of several experts in the last 15 years.