Question : OFFICIAL RECORDS OF EMERGENCY

(a) whether the official record regarding imposition of `Emergency` in the year 1975 is not available in the Prime Minister`s Office (PMO);

(b) if so, whether the correspondence between the then PMO and other authorities regarding emergency is also not available;

(c) if so, whether any application under the Right to Information Act has been received in this matter;

(d) if so, whether the Central Information Commission and Transparency Panel have directed to find out the records; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER`S OFFICE (SHRI V. NARAYANASAMY)

(a) Yes, Madam.

(b) Yes, Madam.

(c) Yes, Madam.

(d) The Central Information Commission in its hearing dated 3.2.2012 had inter-alia observed that `...the CPIO cannot be faulted for not providing the copies of the correspondence made by the then Prime Minister with the President of India concerning the proclamation of emergency in 1975 as the said records are claimed to be not available in the PMO. However, we must observe that this is somewhat surprising. The records relating to such an important event in the history of post-independence India should be carefully preserved for future and cannot be allowed to get lost in the labyrinth of the government offices. We should like the competent authorities in the PMO to enquire into this matter and to ensure that these records are retrieved or traced, wherever they might be, and should be preserved appropriately for the citizens to access. `

(e) Following the observation made by the Central Information Commissioner, a thorough search was made to retrieve / trace records of correspondence between the then Prime Minister and the President of India relating to proclamation of emergency. However, no such records were found in the PMO.