Sandhu is State Election Commissioner

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Chandigarh, December 22

Additional Chief Secretary (Home Affairs) Jagpal Sandhu, a 1983 batch IAS officer, today took over as the State Election Commissioner, Punjab. The additional charge of ACS Home has been given to SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary to the CM.

Sandhu was due to retire from service in February 2017. However, with the term of the previous SEC Shivinder Singh Brar coming to an end, Sandhu has been chosen to take on the role. He assumed office today after the recommendation made by the government to Governor, regarding his appointment, was cleared. His tenure as SEC is for a period of five years.

With the model code of conduct expected to be enforced any time now, the appointment of Sandhu was cleared immediately.

The state government has also cleared the names of Hem Inder Singh and Avtar Singh Kler as the new State Information Commissioners. Both are expected to take oath tomorrow. Both are political appointees.

Veena Mehra Kapoor, Priti Chawla, Ajit Singh Chanduraian, Nidharak Singh Brar, Alwinder Pal Singh Pakhoke and Ravinder Singh Nagi are the other political appointees in the commission. With these, eight of the 10 members in the Right to Information Commission are now political appointees. The CM has also cleared the appointment of 12 other persons as the chairmen, senior vice-chairmen, members and directors of various boards and corporations.