1. Introduction

Advocate Council of India (ACI) is an independent public charitable trust engaged in legal education, professional development, legal awareness, research, training and initiatives supporting access to justice.

This Privacy Policy explains how ACI collects, uses, stores, processes, shares and protects personal information when individuals access or use its website, membership programmes, online courses, events, job and internship portal, Legal Relief Portal and other digital services.

Website: https://advocatecouncilofindia.org/

ACI is committed to handling personal information responsibly and implementing appropriate privacy and security measures in accordance with applicable law.

This Policy should be read together with ACI’s Terms and Conditions, Refund Policy, Disclaimer and Governance, Rules & Regulations.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Policy applies to individuals who:

• Visit or interact with the ACI website.
• Create an account or apply for membership.
• Enrol in courses, training programmes or educational activities.
• Register for events, workshops or webinars.
• Apply for jobs, internships or other opportunities through ACI.
• Submit articles, educational materials or other content.
• Use the Legal Relief Portal or submit a request for information or assistance.
• Make payments, donations or other transactions through ACI.
• Contact ACI for information, support or grievance resolution.

The specific information processed depends on the service used and the information voluntarily or necessarily provided.

3. Personal Information We May Collect

3.1 Identity and contact information

ACI may collect your name, email address, mobile number, postal address, account identifier and other contact information needed to provide the requested service.

3.2 Account and membership information

This may include usernames, membership category, registration details, eligibility information, verification records, account status and membership-related correspondence.

3.3 Educational information

For educational programmes, ACI may process course enrolments, attendance, assessments, learning progress, submitted assignments, feedback and certificate records.

3.4 Professional and application information

For job listings, internships, faculty opportunities or professional collaborations, ACI may receive CVs, resumes, qualifications, work experience, professional credentials and application-related information.

3.5 Payment information

ACI may process transaction references, payment status, amount, date, billing details and information necessary for receipts, refunds, accounting and payment verification.

Payments may be processed through authorised payment gateways. ACI does not request passwords, OTPs, CVV codes or complete payment-card credentials through ordinary website forms or email.

3.6 Legal Relief Portal information

Where an individual seeks legal information or assistance, ACI may receive contact information, a description of the issue, relevant dates and documents voluntarily submitted for that purpose.

Users should submit only information reasonably necessary for their request and should avoid sharing unnecessary sensitive personal information or confidential third-party documents.

3.7 Technical and usage information

Depending on the website configuration, ACI or its authorised service providers may process IP addresses, browser and device information, access logs, session information, pages visited, security events and similar technical information.

4. Purposes for Processing Personal Information

ACI may use personal information, as relevant to the service requested, to:

• Create and administer accounts.
• Process and verify membership applications.
• Deliver courses, educational resources and events.
• Maintain attendance, assessment and certificate records.
• Process payments, issue receipts and administer refunds.
• Manage job listings, internship applications and professional opportunities.
• Receive and assess requests submitted through the Legal Relief Portal.
• Respond to enquiries, complaints and support requests.
• Send essential administrative and transaction-related communications.
• Send permitted promotional communications where the applicable legal requirements are met.
• Prevent fraud, impersonation, unauthorised access and misuse.
• Maintain financial, audit, institutional and security records.
• Improve website functionality and service delivery.
• Comply with applicable legal, regulatory and contractual obligations.

ACI will not use personal information for an unrelated purpose where additional notice or consent is required by applicable law unless a lawful basis for that processing exists.

5. Consent and Lawful Processing

ACI will process personal data on a lawful basis applicable to the relevant activity, including consent where required and other grounds permitted under applicable law.

Where consent is required, ACI will endeavour to provide an appropriate notice explaining the information being collected and the purpose for which it will be used.

Where applicable, individuals may withdraw consent through the designated contact or mechanism. Withdrawal does not invalidate processing lawfully undertaken before withdrawal, but it may affect ACI’s ability to continue providing a service that depends on the relevant information.

ACI will handle requests concerning consent, access, correction, erasure and other applicable rights in accordance with the legal provisions and procedures in force.

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies

ACI’s website may use cookies and similar technologies to maintain login sessions, support essential website functions, improve security, remember preferences or analyse website usage.

Third-party tools, embedded content or analytics services may collect technical or usage information depending on which tools are enabled.

Users may manage cookies through their browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

Where consent is required for a particular cookie or tracking technology, ACI will implement an appropriate consent mechanism.

7. Sharing of Personal Information

ACI does not intend to sell personal information as an independent commercial data product.

Personal information may be shared, to the extent necessary and legally permitted, with the following categories of recipients:

7.1 Technology and hosting providers: Website hosting, maintenance, software, security, backup and technical service providers.

7.2 Payment providers: Authorised payment gateways, banks and payment service providers for processing payments, refunds, verification and transaction disputes.

7.3 Educational and programme collaborators: Instructors, course administrators, event organisers and institutional collaborators where necessary to provide a requested programme or service.

7.4 Employers and opportunity providers: Relevant employers or institutions where an individual applies for a particular job, internship or other opportunity and the information is necessary for that application.

7.5 Legal assistance-related recipients: Where appropriate and lawful, information submitted through the Legal Relief Portal may be shared with an authorised person or independent advocate for the purpose of reviewing or responding to a request.

Submission of information does not automatically establish an advocate-client relationship. Users should avoid sending confidential legal documents until the recipient, purpose and appropriate method of transmission have been established.

7.6 Professional advisers: Authorised auditors, accountants, legal advisers and other professional service providers where reasonably necessary for ACI’s lawful operations.

7.7 Government and statutory authorities: Information may be disclosed where required by applicable law, a valid legal process, a competent court or an authorised authority.

ACI will take reasonable steps to limit disclosures to what is necessary and legally permissible.

8. Third-Party Service Providers and Safeguards

ACI may rely on third-party service providers for website hosting, membership management, online learning, payment processing, email communication, analytics, security, job listings and other platform functions.

Depending on the services actually enabled, these providers may process information necessary to perform their functions.

ACI will endeavour to:

• Identify relevant service providers and understand the categories of information they receive.
• Review their privacy and security practices where appropriate.
• Restrict access to information to authorised persons and services.
• Establish appropriate contractual or other safeguards where required.
• Avoid sharing information that is unnecessary for the relevant service.
• Review provider access when arrangements change or services end.

Third-party providers may also be subject to their own privacy policies and legal obligations. ACI does not control all independent third-party data practices.

9. Data Security and Access Control

ACI will endeavour to maintain reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information and the risks involved.

Measures may include:

• Restricted access to personal information.
• Individual user accounts and appropriate authentication.
• Access permissions based on operational responsibilities.
• Security updates and protection against unauthorised access.
• Appropriate backup and recovery arrangements.
• Confidentiality obligations for authorised personnel and service providers.
• Review of access permissions when roles or responsibilities change.
• Procedures for reporting and responding to suspected security incidents.

Users must protect their passwords, avoid sharing login credentials and report suspected account compromise promptly.

No electronic system or method of transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. ACI will take reasonable steps to address security issues in accordance with its procedures and applicable law.

10. Data Retention and Deletion

ACI will endeavour to retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, subject to applicable legal, accounting, audit, dispute-resolution and recordkeeping obligations.

Different categories of information may require different retention periods. These may include:

• Account and membership records.
• Course enrolment, assessment and certificate records.
• Payment, invoice, refund and accounting records.
• Job and internship applications.
• Legal Relief Portal requests and related documents.
• Correspondence, grievance records and security logs.

ACI will define and periodically review retention arrangements appropriate to these categories.

When personal information is no longer required and no lawful retention obligation applies, ACI will take reasonable steps to delete it or render it non-identifiable, subject to applicable legal and technical limitations.

11. Privacy Rights and Requests

Subject to applicable law, individuals may have rights to:

• Request information about personal data processed by ACI.
• Request correction or updating of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request erasure of personal data where applicable.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Raise grievances concerning the processing of personal data.
• Exercise other rights available under applicable law.

Requests may be submitted using the contact details provided in Section 17.

ACI may request reasonable information to verify the identity and authority of the person making a request. Requests will be handled within the applicable legal timelines.

Certain information may need to be retained where required by law or necessary for a lawful purpose.

12. Children’s Personal Data

ACI’s independently operated paid accounts and services are generally intended for individuals aged 18 or above, unless a particular programme provides otherwise.

Where ACI offers a programme to a person below 18 years of age, it will implement appropriate age-related safeguards and parental or lawful guardian consent where required by applicable law.

ACI will not knowingly process children’s personal data in a manner prohibited by applicable law.

Parents or lawful guardians who believe a child’s personal information has been submitted improperly may contact ACI for a review.

13. Email and Promotional Communications

ACI may send essential communications concerning account registration, membership, course access, payments, refunds, events, security and service administration.

Where permitted by law, ACI may also send promotional information concerning courses, membership programmes, publications, events and institutional initiatives.

Individuals may opt out of promotional communications through an available unsubscribe mechanism or by contacting ACI.

Opting out of promotional messages will not necessarily stop essential administrative, security or transaction-related communications.

14. Data Breaches and Security Incidents

If ACI becomes aware of a personal data breach affecting information processed through its services, it will assess the incident and take reasonable steps to contain, investigate and mitigate its effects.

Where notification to affected individuals or an authority is required by applicable law, ACI will follow the relevant notification requirements and timelines.

Users should promptly report suspected unauthorised access, phishing, account compromise or improper disclosure of their personal information.

15. External Links and Third-Party Websites

The ACI website may contain links to external websites, payment gateways, social media platforms, job portals, educational tools or other third-party services.

Such services may operate under their own privacy policies and data-handling practices. ACI does not control every external website and cannot guarantee the privacy, accuracy or security of third-party services.

Users should review the relevant privacy notices before submitting personal information to an external service.

16. Implementation and Periodic Review

ACI recognises that publishing a Privacy Policy alone does not establish compliance with applicable data protection laws.

ACI will endeavour to implement and maintain appropriate operational, technical and organisational measures consistent with the legal obligations applicable to its activities. These measures may include:

• Maintaining clear privacy notices and appropriate consent mechanisms.
• Restricting access to personal information to authorised persons.
• Reviewing data collection and retention practices.
• Identifying relevant third-party service providers and their access to information.
• Maintaining procedures for privacy requests and grievances.
• Reviewing security measures and responding to incidents.
• Periodically reviewing this Policy and relevant data-handling practices.

ACI will seek to ensure that its actual practices reflect the commitments made in this Policy. The publication of this Policy does not, by itself, establish or guarantee compliance with every legal requirement. Compliance depends on effective implementation and maintenance of the relevant practices and controls.

17. Privacy Contact and Grievances

For privacy-related questions, data requests or grievances, please contact:

Please use the subject line “Privacy Request” and include a description of your request, the relevant account or transaction reference and sufficient information to verify your identity.

Do not send passwords, OTPs or complete payment-card details.

ACI will acknowledge and address privacy requests and grievances in accordance with its applicable procedures and legal obligations.

18. Amendments to This Policy

ACI may revise this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in its services, website technology, data practices, institutional operations or applicable law.

The latest version will be published on this page with an updated date. Where required by law, ACI will provide additional notice or seek consent for material changes.

Users should periodically review this page to remain informed about ACI’s privacy practices.