The Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria, administered the oath of office to Advocate Harpreet Sandhu and Mrs. Pooja Gupta as State Information Commissioners of the Punjab State Right to Information Commission at Punjab Raj Bhavan on Tuesday.
The swearing-in ceremony was conducted by Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and attended by several dignitaries, including Punjab Chief Information Commissioner Inderpal Singh Dhanna, State Information Commissioners Dr. Bhupinder Singh, Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, and Virinderjit Singh Billing.
Other notable attendees included Additional Chief Secretaries Vikas Pratap and D.K. Tiwari, Principal Secretary to the Governor Vivek Partap Singh, MD Markfed and Director of Governance Reforms Girish Dayalan, ADGP Ishwar Singh, eminent agriculture economist Sardara Singh Johal, and Punjab Agricultural University Vice Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal, along with other senior officials.
Advocate Harpreet Sandhu, a well-known lawyer, previously served as the Additional Advocate General for Punjab. He is also a former Chairman of Punjab Infotech and has significantly contributed to the field of legal studies.
Mrs. Pooja Gupta is a respected social worker and educationist known for her academic achievements and dedication to social causes.
The Punjab Government officially notified their appointments on January 27, 2025. Their inclusion in the Punjab State Right to Information Commission is expected to enhance transparency and improve its functioning.