Thread by @OfficialSauravD

#BREAKING

Central Information Commission in my case has directed the Centre’s Empowered Group Sub-Committee on Oxygen to reveal records of its discussions and all other records relating to medical oxygen management within 10 days.

This order has more implications👇🏻

1/n

Centre has been denying information on its COVID preparation, policy, material based on which decisions are taken etc. due to “national interests”.
As a result, public scrutiny is obstructed. All records of empowered groups were being kept secret. Until now.

2/n

The Order notes- “the information sought being denied in a blanket manner was not at all justified”.
Blanket denial of info is something MoHFW is also doing.

This as a result would impact other cases like disclosure of records of NEGVAC- the top national COVID task force.

3/n

The CIC has held that denial of records of empowered committees due to “threat to national interests” seems “unjustified” & “far fetched”.

I had argued on Public interest and was fully endorsed by CIC. Now, imp records of this Govts COVID management are to be made public.

4/n

My case was adjudicated by 2nd senior most IC Vanaja Sarna. She had also previously pulled up MEITY in my case for claiming it has no records of Aarogya Setu’s creation.

This is another important order passed by her in favour of transparency and public interest.

5/n

All records relating to COVID management were being kept top secret by the Union govt for “national interests”.

Very thankful to the Madras HC for directing CIC on my PIL, to hold urgent hearings on pandemic matters. As a result this case was heard by CIC on priority.

6/n