Overview
- The division bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notice to the Union government, RBI, Google, and Apple on a public interest plea.
- The petition by Himakshi Bhargav alleges NBFC-backed digital lending apps access contact lists and call logs and collect excessive data in breach of RBI’s May 8, 2025 rules.
- The court directed the RBI to place on record enforcement measures and any action taken against violators within six weeks, with the matter listed for April 1.
- Apps named in the plea include Slice, Branch, Navi, Home Credit, Simpl, Dhani, Refyne, ZestMoney, Freo Pay, and LendingPlate, which the petitioner says continue to operate on major app stores.
- The PIL seeks suspension or cancellation of licences for non-compliant entities and disclosure of compliance reviews and action-taken reports, as the digital personal loan market expands rapidly.