---
title: "Section 12: Right to correction and erasure of personal data"
url: https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/act/section-12-right-to-correction-and-erasure-of-personal-data/
description: "Section 12 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (Right to correction and erasure of personal data). Official text verbatim, comes into force on…"
kind: act-section
updated: 2026-09-09
official_source: https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/06/2bf1f0e9f04e6fb4f8fef35e82c42aa5.pdf
text_type: official-text-plus-interpretation
publisher: MYND Integrated Solutions
license: Official Government of India texts are reproduced verbatim (public domain / open government data). Interpretation is CC BY 4.0, MYND Integrated Solutions.
disclaimer: Not legal advice. Official text prevails over any interpretation.
html_version: https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/act/section-12-right-to-correction-and-erasure-of-personal-data/
---
# Section 12: Right to correction and erasure of personal data

*The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (No. 22 of 2023), Chapter III: RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF DATA PRINCIPAL. Comes into force on 13 May 2027.*

## Official text

- **(1)** A Data Principal shall have the right to correction, completion, updating and erasure of her personal data for the processing of which she has previously given consent, including consent as referred to in clause (a) of section 7, in accordance with any requirement or procedure under any law for the time being in force.

- **(2)** A Data Fiduciary shall, upon receiving a request for correction, completion or updating from a Data Principal,—
  - **(a)** correct the inaccurate or misleading personal data;
  - **(b)** complete the incomplete personal data; and
  - **(c)** update the personal data.

- **(3)** A Data Principal shall make a request in such manner as may be prescribed to the Data Fiduciary for erasure of her personal data, and upon receipt of such a request, the Data Fiduciary shall erase her personal data unless retention of the same is necessary for the specified purpose or for compliance with any law for the time being in force.


## Rules made under this section

- [Rule 14: Rights of Data Principals](https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/rules/rule-14-rights-of-data-principals/)

## Interpretation in plain English (not legal advice)

> This is a plain-English interpretation of the official text, prepared by the DPDP Wiki editorial team. It is not the law and not legal advice, and it may be incomplete or wrong. Always rely on the official text of the Act, the Rules and the notifications, and take advice from a qualified professional for your situation.

A Data Principal (the individual whom the data is about) has the right to ask a Data Fiduciary (the entity that decides how and why data is processed) to correct, complete, update, or erase their personal data. This right applies to personal data that is being processed because the Data Principal previously gave their consent, which includes certain situations where consent is provided for specific legitimate uses.\n\nWhen a Data Fiduciary receives a request to fix data, it must take action. The Data Fiduciary is required to correct any inaccurate or misleading personal data, fill in any incomplete personal data, and update the data as requested by the Data Principal.\n\nTo have data erased, the Data Principal must submit a request in a specific manner that will be prescribed by future rules. Once the Data Fiduciary receives this erasure request, it must delete the personal data. However, there is an exception: the Data Fiduciary does not have to erase the data if keeping it is still necessary for the original specified purpose, or if retaining the data is required to comply with any current law.

### Key points

- A Data Principal can request the correction, completion, updating, or erasure of their personal data if it is processed based on their consent. [(1)]
- A Data Fiduciary must correct inaccurate data, complete incomplete data, and update data upon receiving a request. [(2)]
- The exact procedure for making an erasure request will be prescribed by future rules. [(3)]
- A Data Fiduciary must erase the personal data upon request, unless retaining it is necessary for the specified purpose or required by law. [(3)]

### Common misreadings

- A Data Fiduciary must always erase data immediately upon request; in fact, they can refuse if retention is still necessary for the specified purpose or required by law.
- This right applies to all personal data held by a Data Fiduciary; the text specifies it applies to data for which the Data Principal previously gave consent.

*Interpretation prepared 2026-09-09 from the official text only; the official text prevails.*

---
Cite as: Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, s. 12. Official source: https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/06/2bf1f0e9f04e6fb4f8fef35e82c42aa5.pdf