CURRENT AFFAIRS | 31 MARCH 2026
CLAT GK + DIGITAL RIGHTS & PRIVACY LAW
A House Panel report on “Impact of AI and Related Technologies” was tabled in Lok Sabha by the Standing Committee on IT, revealing the Ministry of Home Affairs’ ambitious AI deployment plans. The MHA is using AI for predictive policing, behavioral analysis, crime pattern recognition, and dark web monitoring — raising fundamental questions about the balance between security and privacy.
Key Developments
I4C — Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre
The I4C is the nodal anti-cybercrime agency under MHA. It coordinates efforts across states and central agencies to combat cybercrime using AI and machine learning technologies.
MULE HUNTER APP
An AI-based tool developed under RBI and I4C to detect and prevent mule accounts — bank accounts used by criminals to launder money. The app uses pattern recognition and behavioral analysis to flag suspicious transactions across the banking system.
AI/ML Applications in Law Enforcement
- Fraud detection across banking and financial systems
- Anti-phishing tools to identify and block phishing attacks
- CSAM detection — AI tools to identify child sexual abuse material
- Dark web monitoring — AI-based tools to monitor dark web marketplaces, scam websites, and fraud networks
- Predictive policing — analyzing historical crime data to forecast future incidents
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Article 21: Right to life and personal liberty — includes the right to privacy as declared in KS Puttaswamy v. UOI (2017). AI surveillance directly engages this right.
- Article 19(1)(a): Freedom of speech and expression — dark web monitoring and content surveillance may have a chilling effect on free speech.
- IT Act 2000, Section 69A: Empowers the Central Government to direct blocking of public access to any information through any computer resource.
- Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act 2023: Establishes framework for processing digital personal data, including consent requirements and data fiduciary obligations.
- Shreya Singhal v. UOI (2015): SC struck down Section 66A of IT Act as unconstitutional — established that vague restrictions on online speech violate Art. 19(1)(a).
- KS Puttaswamy v. UOI (2017): 9-judge bench unanimously held privacy is a fundamental right under Art. 21. Any state surveillance must satisfy the triple test: legality, legitimate aim, and proportionality.
Why This Matters for CLAT 2027
- Legal Reasoning: Privacy vs. security is a classic CLAT passage topic. Expect passages on whether predictive policing violates the presumption of innocence or Article 21 privacy rights.
- GK Section: I4C, CERT-In, MULE HUNTER APP, DPDP Act 2023 — all high-probability factual questions.
- Passage-Based Questions: AI ethics, algorithmic bias, and the tension between technological efficiency and civil liberties.
- Constitutional Law: Puttaswamy triple test (legality, legitimate aim, proportionality) — the gold standard for evaluating surveillance measures.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Report | Standing Committee on IT — “Impact of AI and Related Technologies” |
| Tabled In | Lok Sabha |
| I4C | Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (nodal agency) |
| MULE HUNTER APP | AI tool under RBI & I4C for detecting mule accounts |
| Key Case (Privacy) | KS Puttaswamy v. UOI (2017) |
| Key Case (Free Speech) | Shreya Singhal v. UOI (2015) |
| Key Legislation | IT Act 2000 (S.69A), DPDP Act 2023 |
| Privacy Test | Legality + Legitimate Aim + Proportionality |
Mnemonic: PRISM
- P — Puttaswamy (privacy as fundamental right)
- R — Right to privacy triple test (legality, aim, proportionality)
- I — I4C (nodal cybercrime agency)
- S — Shreya Singhal (Section 66A struck down)
- M — MULE HUNTER APP (AI fraud detection)
Practice Quiz
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
