New Delhi, Aug. 18 -- In Homer's epic Odyssey, the sacred tenet of Xenia (Zeus's Law) is given divergent interpretations. Penelope suffers silently, abiding by its customs to shelter and feed suitors in the absence of her husband Odysseus. Meanwhile, the cyclops Polyphemus violently flouts the code by devouring Odysseus's crew. This subjective application of a foundational rule carries profound consequences for all involved.

India today is witnessing a comparable struggle over a statutory interpretation surrounding the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act of 2023. It is uncommon for a statute to face rigorous constitutional scrutiny before its operational enforcement.

Yet, recent developments have thrust the DPDP Act into a criti...