Sukhbir Singh Sandhu Biography
Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is a senior Indian civil servant and Election Commissioner of India whose administrative career has included important assignments in Uttarakhand, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and the central government. A 1988-batch IAS officer of the Uttarakhand cadre, Sandhu became an Election Commissioner on March 15, 2024, after serving as Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand and Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
His career is notable for the variety of institutions he has worked with. He has served as a district magistrate, principal secretary to chief ministers, a senior central government official, NHAI chairman and Uttarakhand’s top bureaucrat. He is now part of the three-member Election Commission of India alongside Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi.
Who Is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu?
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is an Indian Administrative Service officer who currently serves as an Election Commissioner of India. He joined the Election Commission on March 15, 2024.
Before moving to the poll panel, Sandhu spent more than three decades in public administration. His postings covered infrastructure, education, urban development, finance, power, industries and highways. He also served as Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand from July 2021 until January 2024.
At NHAI, he served as chairman from 2019 to 2021. His tenure coincided with major changes in highway toll collection and the wider use of digital systems in highway management.
Early Life and Education
Sandhu comes from a background in northern India and entered the civil services after completing professional and postgraduate studies.
His academic qualifications include an MBBS degree and a master’s degree in History. His combination of medical education and humanities training is an unusual feature of his academic background.
He subsequently entered the Indian Administrative Service as part of the 1988 batch, joining the Uttarakhand cadre.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu’s IAS Career
Sandhu’s administrative career has taken him through district administration, state government departments and senior central government positions.
At the district level, he served as Collector and District Magistrate of Haridwar, Gautam Budh Nagar and Udham Singh Nagar. These assignments placed him in charge of major districts with substantial administrative, infrastructure and development responsibilities.
He later held senior positions in Uttarakhand, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. His areas of responsibility included infrastructure development, highways, urban development, power, industries, finance and public-private partnership projects.
He also served as Principal Secretary to four chief ministers belonging to three political parties between 2007 and 2014.
Role at the Centre
Sandhu also spent periods working for the Government of India.
He served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Higher Education, where his responsibilities included matters involving institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management.
He later became Secretary to the Lokpal of India.
These assignments gave him experience in both policy administration and the management of large public institutions.
Chairman of NHAI
One of the most prominent positions in Sandhu’s career was his appointment as Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India from 2019 to 2021.
During this period, NHAI expanded the use of digital systems for highway management. Sandhu’s official Election Commission profile credits his tenure with the nationwide implementation of compulsory FASTag-based toll collection and with efforts to resolve major arbitration disputes through conciliation.
His time at NHAI became an important chapter in his administrative record because highways, toll collection and infrastructure financing are areas where decisions affect millions of road users and businesses.
Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand
Sandhu became Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand in July 2021 and held the position until January 2024.
As the state’s senior-most civil servant, he was involved in the administration of several departments and policy areas. According to his Election Commission profile, around 35 departmental policies were modified during his tenure to improve their implementation and delivery.
His earlier experience in infrastructure and urban administration was particularly relevant in a mountainous state where roads, tourism, urban expansion and public services present distinct administrative challenges.
Appointment as Election Commissioner
Sandhu joined the Election Commission of India on March 15, 2024.
The appointment brought his administrative experience into India’s constitutional election machinery. The Election Commission is responsible for conducting elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, state legislative assemblies and the offices of the President and Vice-President.
As an Election Commissioner, Sandhu works as part of the commission responsible for decisions concerning electoral rolls, election schedules, polling arrangements and the conduct of elections within the constitutional and legal framework.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and the 2026 Election Commission
Sandhu remains an Election Commissioner in September 2026. The official ECI officers directory lists him alongside Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioner Vivek Joshi.
His name also appeared in recent reporting concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Delhi. The Indian Express reported on September 21, 2026, that Sandhu was among electors who received SIR notices after discrepancies were flagged in the Election Commission’s centralized system.
The development attracted attention because Sandhu himself is a serving Election Commissioner. The notice, however, concerns his status as an elector and should not be confused with disciplinary action against him.
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu’s Interest in Mountaineering
Outside administration, Sandhu has maintained an interest in sports and mountaineering.
The Election Commission describes him as a former hockey player and notes his interest in trekking and mountaineering. He has also climbed Black Peak in Uttarkashi, which rises to approximately 22,000 feet.
He has also spoken on urban development issues and was invited to Harvard Business School in Boston to deliver a talk on “De-stressing Indian Cities.” He has published papers relating to urban reforms and municipal management.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
1. Who is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu?
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is a 1988-batch IAS officer of the Uttarakhand cadre and an Election Commissioner of India. He previously served as Uttarakhand Chief Secretary and Chairman of NHAI.
2. When did Sukhbir Singh Sandhu become Election Commissioner?
He joined the Election Commission of India as an Election Commissioner on March 15, 2024.
3. What is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu’s educational qualification?
Sandhu holds an MBBS degree and a master’s degree in History.
4. Was Sukhbir Singh Sandhu the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand?
Yes. He served as Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand from July 2021 to January 2024.
5. Was Sukhbir Singh Sandhu Chairman of NHAI?
Yes. He served as Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India from 2019 to 2021.