Section 20 of Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023: Salary, Allowances and Term of Office

Section 20 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 deals with the salary, allowances, service conditions and tenure of the Chairperson and other Members of the Data Protection Board of India. The provision is now operational, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025 prescribe the service conditions in greater detail.

Updated: 24 September 2026

Text and meaning of Section 20

The expression "as may be prescribed" means that the Act leaves the detailed salary, allowances and service conditions to rules made by the Central Government. Those details are now contained in Rule 18 and the Fifth Schedule to the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025.

Salary under the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025

Rule 18 provides that the Chairperson and every other Member shall receive the salary and allowances and have the other service conditions specified in the Fifth Schedule. The principal salary terms are:

Other service conditions under the Fifth Schedule

The Fifth Schedule supplements Section 20 by prescribing the principal conditions of service. In summary:

• The Chairperson and other Members may contribute to the Provident Fund of the Board on the applicable terms.
• They are not entitled to pension or gratuity for service rendered in the Board.
• Travelling allowance is linked to Central Government pay-matrix levels: level 17 for the Chairperson and level 15 for other Members.
• Medical assistance, leave and leave travel concession are governed by the detailed provisions specified in the Fifth Schedule.
• No sitting fee is payable for attending meetings of the Board.
• No sumptuary allowance is payable.
• The Chairperson and Members must avoid conflicts of interest that are likely to prejudicially affect the performance of their functions.

Term of office and re-appointment

Section 20(2) fixes the term of office at two years. It expressly permits re-appointment. The Act therefore does not make a first two-year term an absolute bar to a subsequent appointment.

The protection in Section 20(1) is also important for institutional independence: after appointment, the prescribed salary, allowances and other service conditions cannot be changed to the disadvantage of the Chairperson or a Member.

Relationship with Sections 18 and 19

Section 20 forms part of Chapter V dealing with the Data Protection Board of India. Section 18 provides for establishment of the Board, while Section 19 deals with its composition, qualifications and appointment. Section 20 then governs remuneration, service conditions and tenure.

The Central Government established the Data Protection Board of India with effect from 13 November 2025 and notified that the Board shall consist of four Members. These developments make Sections 18 to 20 part of the presently operative institutional framework under the Act.

Official legal resources

For authoritative text and current notifications, refer to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, and the MeitY Acts and Policies page.

Quick summary

This page is intended as a legal information resource. For an authoritative interpretation, read the Act, Rules and applicable Gazette notifications together.