On 5th July 2018 The Union Cabinet has approved the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2018. The utility of DNA-based technologies, for solving crimes and identifying missing persons, is well recognized across the world.
The Ministry of Science and Technology said that the bill’s provision will enable cross-matching between people that have been reported missing and unidentified bodies found in parts of the country; it will also be used to establish the identities of victims of mass disasters. The bill also provides for mandatory accreditation and regulation of DNA laboratories, preventing non-accredited laboratories to test DNA samples.
There is also assurance from the Ministry that the DNA test results are reliable and the data remain protected from misuse or abuse in terms of the privacy rights of citizens.
The purpose of the enactment is the expansion of the application of DNA based forensic technologies to assist and strengthen the judicial system of the country.
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