LS gives consent to DNA bill

New Delhi: The Bill that provides for regulation of use and application of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology for establishing the identity of certain categories of persons, including offenders,

victims, suspects and undertrials was passed in Lok Sabha Tuesday.

The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018 regulates the use the technology to establish the identity of persons in respect of criminal matters listed and civil matters such as parentage disputes, emigration or immigration, and transplantation of human organs.

Replying to the debate, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said the DNA testing is being done on persons comprising a minuscule per centage of less than one per cent.

On concerns of members on the misuse of the Bill, the minister said the misuse can happen of anything at any level.

Even the blood sample collected by the clinical laboratories has the potential of misuse.

Terming it a comprehensive Bill, he said it has taken a long duration of 14-15 years to bring this bill to this stage.

The Bill provides for establishment of a National DNA Data Bank and Regional DNA Data Banks.