New CIC Deepak Sandhu favours greater transparency

Deepak Sandhu, who was Thursday sworn-in as India's first woman Chief Information Commissioner, said she would work for strengthening moves towards greater transparency in the functioning of the government and faster disposal of cases.

"The larger issues are greater transparency in the functioning of the government... I will continue on the lines of my predecessors," Sandhu told IANS.

She said she will also work towards moves for suo-moto declaration by government departments to facilitate flow of information to people.

Prior to her elevation, Sandhu was information commissioner for four years.

She was Thursday administered the oath of office by President Pranab Mukherjee at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Sandu, a former 1971 batch Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, succeeds Satyananda Mishra.

She will be in office for a relatively short tenure of three months.

Sandhu has served in various capacities including media advisor to prime minister, principal director general (media and communications), Press Information Bureau, and director general (news), All India Radio.