‘Positivity’ is a PR stunt to hide the actual number of Coronavirus deaths the PM’s actions have caused,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in another tweet.

Health economist Rijo M. John also questioned the Central government’s claim that testing has increased 2.6 times during the second wave.

Babu is a close aide of Satish Reddy, the BJP MLA from Bommanahalli. They were with Tejasvi Surya earlier this month, when the MP stormed a COVID war room and communalised the bed allotment scam.

In the selection committee meeting, CJI N.V. Ramana referred to the Supreme Court’s 2019 order to make the choice among various contenders easier. But the committee ignored the fact that the same order also disfavoured appointing acting chiefs, which the Centre had done.