Can a private company access your ITR and EPFO ​​data? Find out what the Supreme Court has said..

Can private companies access your income tax returns or provident fund records? The Supreme Court has asked the government to investigate allegations that private verification companies are accessing individuals' employment and financial information and using it for commercial purposes.

**ITR and EPFO ​​data is considered sensitive**

The government issued this directive in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The petition alleges the emergence of a commercial ecosystem where private companies are accessing financial data linked to EPFO/UAN records and PAN cards. Such data is considered highly sensitive.

**The petitioner has raised questions regarding private companies' access to data**

While the Supreme Court has not found any specific company accessing such information illegally, nor has it stated that private companies are free to use individuals' ITR and EPFO ​​records, the petition has raised significant questions affecting crores of Indians.

**Three key questions regarding data access have emerged**

There are several questions surrounding this issue. First, which specific pieces of personal information held by government agencies can private companies use? Second, what is the method of their use? Third, do they obtain the individual's consent before using this information?

**The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the use of personal information**

The Supreme Court has expressed concern regarding the alleged misuse of individuals' sensitive personal information and has asked the government to investigate the matter. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana stated that the government could consider ways to curb this issue and might seek assistance from experts in the field. The petitioner has raised questions regarding advertisements for certain private services.

In the complaint, the petitioner has cited private services that allegedly advertise products such as 'EPFO Passbook API', 'Form 26 API', and 'Income Tax Return API'. The petitioner has stated that this raises questions about how such sensitive information is being obtained or verified.