Advocate Harpreet Sandhu and Mrs. Pooja Gupta today assumed charge as the new State Information Commissioners of Punjab in the presence of Punjab Chief Information Commissioner Shri Inderpal Singh Dhanna, State Information Commissioners Dr. Bhupinder Singh, Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal and Virinderjit Singh Billing.
The swearing-in ceremony was held earlier at Punjab Raj Bhawan where Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria administered the oath of office to both the Commissioners. Advocate Harpreet Sandhu, a distinguished lawyer, environmentalist, nature artist and author previously served as the Additional Advocate General for Punjab.
He has also served as the Chairman of Punjab Infotech and is globally recognized for his work in legal studies. Advocate Sandhu is the author of several books on legal comparative studies and holds a Practice Diploma in International Human Rights and Criminal Procedure from the College of Law of England and Wales.
His contributions to the legal field have earned him immense respect, and he has represented India as an Ambassador of Goodwill to France under the RI GSE Program. Speaking on his appointment, Advocate Harpreet Sandhu said, "I thank the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, for entrusting me with this important responsibility.
I am committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the functioning of public administration and I will work diligently to serve the people of Punjab." Mrs. Pooja Gupta, a prominent social worker and educationist also took charge as State Information Commissioner.
Reflecting on her new role, she shared, "I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Punjab Government for appointing me to this position. I look forward to working with transparency, fairness and dedication to strengthen the Right to Information framework in Punjab and ensure better access to information for all."
Both State Information Commissioners expressed their unwavering commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability and public trust in the governance of Punjab, ensuring that the public has greater access to information and that the Right to Information Act is upheld with integrity. The family members of both the commissioners were also present at the event.