Deepak Sandhu tipped to be next Chief Information Commissioner

NEW DELHI: Former media adviser to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Deepak Sandhu, is likely to be appointed as next Chief Information Commissioner ( CIC) to succeed Satyanand Mishra who retires early next month.

Sandhu's appointment is understood to have been cleared at a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the file recommending her name has been sent to the President's office for his approval, official sources said today.

The Chief Information Commissioner is appointed by the President on the recommendation of a committee led by the Prime Minister and includiong the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM.

Sandhu, a retired Indian Information Service (IIS) officer of 1971 batch, has already been serving in Central Information Commission as Information Commissioner since September 2009.

Sandhu has served in different positions including media adviser to the Prime Minister, Principal Director General (Media & Communications) in Press Information Bureau, Director General (News) All India Radio, Director, Directorate of Film Festivals and Press Registrar, Registrar of Newspapers of India among others.

She has also been spokesperson for Ministries of Finance, Commerce and Health and Family Welfare.

Born in 1948, Sandhu, if appointed, will have a tenure till December 19 this year.