What is DPDP nomination?

DPDP Section 14 allows a Data Principal to nominate any individual to exercise the Principal's rights under the Act on their behalf in the event of death or incapacity. The nomination must be in writing and recorded by the Data Fiduciary.

How does dcomply capture nominations?

The nomination module allows the Principal to submit nominee details through the self-service portal, nominee name, relationship, contact, and preference order. The record is cryptographically signed by the Principal (Aadhaar eSign or OTP-based) and stored in the compliance ledger.

When does a nomination take effect?

On the death or incapacity of the Data Principal, evidenced by a death certificate (for death) or medical certificate/court order (for incapacity). The nominee then submits the certificate through the DSR portal and gains DSR rights on the Principal's data.

Can a nomination be revoked?

Yes, the Data Principal can revoke or change the nomination at any time through the self-service portal. Each change is timestamped in the audit chain so disputes over the current nominee can be resolved.

What happens if there is no nomination?

On death without a nomination, DSR rights transfer to the legal heir per the Principal's applicable succession law (Hindu / Muslim / Christian / Parsi / Special Marriage Act). The Fiduciary must accept legal-heir claims with a succession certificate or probate.

Right to Nomination

Manage Right to Nomination Under DPDP Section 14

Section 14 of the DPDP Act gives every data principal the right to nominate another person to exercise their data rights in the event of death or incapacity. dcomply's Nomination module integrates with your DSR portal to handle nomination requests, verify nominees, and maintain a complete nomination register.

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Data Principal

Nominates

Nominee

Rights Transferred

The Problem

Section 14 Is Unique, and Almost Universally Ignored

No equivalent right exists under GDPR, and most compliance platforms don't support it, leaving organizations exposed to a gap regulators will find

A New Right No Platform Supports

Section 14 is unique to the DPDP Act, no equivalent exists in GDPR. Most compliance platforms ignore it entirely. But regulators will check for nomination mechanisms as part of DSR compliance audits.

No Standard Process Exists

Organizations have no template for how to collect, verify, and manage nominations. What information must be collected? How is the nominee verified? How are nominee rights activated? dcomply answers all of this.

Integrated with DSR Is Essential

Nominations cannot be managed in isolation. When a nominee makes a DSR request, the system must verify the nomination, confirm the data principal's status, and then process the request on the nominee's behalf.

Capabilities

Complete Nomination Lifecycle Management

Nomination Collection

Data principals can submit nominations through your public DSR portal. Collect nominee name, relationship, email, and phone, with all details encrypted and stored securely.

Nomination Verification

Email-based verification sends a confirmation to the nominee. Nominations are only activated after the nominee confirms their details, preventing fraudulent nominations.

Nomination Status Tracking

Track every nomination through its lifecycle: Submitted, Verified, Active, Cancelled. Dashboard view shows all pending and active nominations at a glance.

Nominee DSR Rights

When a nominee submits a DSR request, the system validates the nomination status and processes the request on behalf of the data principal. Full audit trail maintained.

Nomination Register

Maintain a complete register of all nominations, required for regulatory compliance. Export the register as PDF for audits and regulatory submissions.

Cancellation by Data Principal

Data principals can cancel or change their nomination at any time while they have capacity. Cancellation is immediate and logged in the audit trail.

How It Works

Nomination Process in 4 Steps

From submission to nominee rights activation, fully automated and audit-ready.

Data principal submits nomination

Through your DSR portal, the data principal fills a nomination form with nominee details. The form is linked to their consent record for identity verification.

Nominee receives verification email

The nominee receives an email with a verification link. They must confirm their details within 72 hours to activate the nomination.

Nomination is activated

Once verified, the nomination is recorded in your register. The data principal can view, update, or cancel their nomination at any time.

Nominee exercises rights

If the data principal passes away or loses capacity, the nominee can submit DSR requests through the portal. The system validates the active nomination and processes the request.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Section 14 of the DPDP Act grants every data principal the right to nominate another individual to exercise their data rights (access, correction, erasure, portability) in the event of their death or incapacity. This is unique to the DPDP Act, no equivalent right exists under GDPR. Data Fiduciaries must provide a mechanism for data principals to submit, verify, and manage their nominations.

The DPDP Act does not restrict who can be nominated, any individual can be designated as a nominee. Common choices include spouses, children, siblings, or legal representatives. The nominee must confirm their details via the verification process. Data principals can change or revoke their nomination at any time while they have the capacity to do so.

The nominee submits a DSR request through the data principal's DSR portal, identifying themselves as the nominee. dcomply verifies the active nomination status and, upon confirmation of the data principal's death or incapacity (with appropriate documentation), processes the DSR request on the nominee's behalf. The full process is logged in the audit trail.

Add Nomination Support to Your DSR Portal

Section 14 compliance, often overlooked, always required

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