Private firms made 17 million vehicle database queries before Centre revoked access

Private companies extensively accessed India's vehicle databases during a two-year window, conducting roughly 17 million queries before the Centre withdrew their privileges, according to details disclosed through a Right to Information application. The National Informatics Centre, which manages critical government IT infrastructure, had distributed 25,314 credentials to private entities to facilitate this database access.

The scope of private sector access to vehicle information raises questions about data governance and oversight mechanisms. The credentials granted to private firms allowed them to search vehicle registration details and related information through centralized government databases, generating millions of queries across the 2024-2026 period.

The Centre's decision to cut private sector access suggests a policy reassessment regarding the sharing of sensitive vehicle and owner information with commercial entities. The move underscores growing concerns about data protection and the regulation of how private companies interact with government databases containing personal and vehicle-related information.

The disclosure comes amid broader scrutiny over data privacy and information security across Indian government systems. No official statement has been provided regarding the reasons for terminating private sector database access or whether new protocols will be established for future credential issuance.