---
title: "Section 25: Members and officers to be public servants"
url: https://dpdp.myndsolution.com/wiki/act/section-25-members-and-officers-to-be-public-servants/
description: "Section 25 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (Members and officers to be public servants). Official text verbatim, in force since 13…"
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-25-members-and-officers-to-be-public-servants/
---
# Section 25: Members and officers to be public servants

*The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (No. 22 of 2023), Chapter V: DATA PROTECTION BOARD OF INDIA. In force since 13 November 2025.*

## Official text

The Chairperson, Members, officers and employees of the Board shall be deemed, when acting or purporting to act in pursuance of provisions of this Act, to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.



## 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.

Section 25 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act clarifies the legal status of the people who work for the Board, which is the regulatory body responsible for enforcing the law. Under this section, the Chairperson, Members, officers, and all employees of the Board are legally classified as public servants. This specific classification is tied to the meaning given in section 21 of the Indian Penal Code. However, this public servant status is not absolute for all their actions in life. It applies specifically when these individuals are acting, or claiming to act, in order to carry out the provisions of the Act. By designating them as public servants during their official duties, the law aligns their legal standing with that of other government officials under the Indian Penal Code.

### Key points

- The Chairperson, Members, officers, and employees of the Board are legally deemed to be public servants.
- This classification falls under the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.
- This status applies only when they are acting or purporting to act in pursuance of the provisions of the Act.

### Common misreadings

- One might assume Board employees are considered public servants in all aspects of their lives, but the text strictly limits this status to when they are acting or purporting to act in pursuance of the Act.

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

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Cite as: Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, s. 25. Official source: https://www.meity.gov.in/static/uploads/2024/06/2bf1f0e9f04e6fb4f8fef35e82c42aa5.pdf