Parliamentary Oversight of Technology Regulation and the Ethical Responsibilities of Engineers in India: A Constitutional Perspective

Abstract

This paper examines how parliamentary oversight of technology regulation creates ethical responsibilities for engineers under the Indian Constitution. Parliament, through Standing Committees and legislation such as the IT Act 2000, Environment Protection Act 1986, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, defines the legal and ethical space within which engineers operate. Key constitutional provisions — particularly Articles 14, 21, 48A, and 51A — translate directly into professional ethical obligations that engineers must recognise and act upon. Using a systematic literature review and constitutional case analysis, this paper identifies four structural accountability gaps between parliamentary intent and engineering practice. It proposes the Constitutional- Ethical Accountability Framework (CEAF), a five- step decision model

for engineers in safety- critical, environmental, and digital technology domains. Three concrete recommendations are offered for Parliament, engineering institutions, and individual practitioners. The findings are especially relevant to undergraduate engineering students at institutions like HKBK College of Engineering affiliated to VTU.