MeitY, NIC, NeGD have no information about who created Aarogya Setu app

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) on October 28 told the Central Information Commission (CIC) that it had no information about who created the Aarogya Setu app.

The CIC, in return, has asked the NIC and the CPIO to explain why it does not have any information about the creation of the Aarogya Setu app when the website was created with a gov.in domain name.

When the CIC asked the NIC about the creation of the app, none of the CPIOs were able to explain who created the app, where are the files, reported LiveLaw. "The Commission directs the CPIO, NIC to explain this matter in writing as to how the website https://aarogyasetu.gov.in/ was created with the domain name gov.in, if they do not have any information about it," Information Commissioner Vanaja N. Sarna ordered.

The CIC has now issued show-cause notices to the CPIOs, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), NIC, and the National E-Governance Division (NeGD).

The summoned CPIOs will have to appear before the bench on November 24 to show cause as to why action should not be initiated against them under Section 20 of the RTI Act.

The CPIOs have also been directed to send a copy of all supporting documents on which they choose to rely upon during the hearing.

The development comes after a complaint that stated that the relevant authorities failed to provide information about the process of creation of the Aarogya Setu app and other information relating to its creation.

The complainant had stated that they had filed an RTI application with Aarogya Setu’s developer - NIC - which stated that it "does not hold the information" relating to the app's creation.