Evasive Replies Trigger Action
The Central Information Commission (CIC) has issued show-cause notices to multiple government departments, including the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the National Informatics Centre (NIC), and the National E-Governance Division (NeGD). This action follows their failure to respond adequately to a Right to Information (RTI) application concerning the creation of the Aarogya Setu contact tracing app.
RTI Seeks Details on App Development
The RTI application filed by Saurav Das sought details on how the Aarogya Setu app was created, including relevant files and any audits conducted to prevent misuse of user data. Despite the app having access to crores of users’ personal information, the concerned agencies either refused to provide information or claimed that no such records existed.
NIC Denies Holding Creation Records
In a surprising move, the National Informatics Centre—listed as the designer, developer, and host of the Aarogya Setu platform—stated that it does not possess information about the app’s creation. The CIC criticized this response, pointing out the contradiction between NIC’s public claim of developing the app and its denial of related documentation.
CIC Calls Explanation ‘Preposterous’
The CIC called the agencies’ failure to provide basic information on the app’s creation and development process “extremely preposterous.” It noted that such evasive responses raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability, especially when dealing with personal data collected on a large scale.
Officials Summoned for Hearing
The Commission has summoned the Central Public Information Officers (CPIOs) from the three agencies to appear before the bench on November 24. The purpose is to seek clarity on why they failed to maintain or disclose essential documents regarding the app’s development.
Aarogya Setu’s Role During the Pandemic
Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aarogya Setu app was designed to track real-time movement of individuals and alert users if they were in proximity to confirmed cases. With millions of downloads and mandatory usage in certain settings, the app played a key role in the government’s containment strategy—making transparency around its development crucial.
