The Opposition’s INDIA bloc on Tuesday announced former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election scheduled on September 9. The decision was taken at a meeting held at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, where leaders of the alliance discussed fielding a joint nominee.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA has already declared Maharashtra governor and senior RSS functionary CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the post. Radhakrishnan, a former president of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, was named on Sunday.
Justice (retd) Reddy, 78, has had a distinguished legal career spanning four decades.
Here are five facts about justice B Sudershan Reddy:
- Born on July 8, 1946, B Sudershan Reddy enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh in December 1971 and practiced writ and civil matters in the Andhra Pradesh high court.
- B Sudershan Reddy has served as government pleader in the Andhra Pradesh high court between 1988 and 1990, and briefly as additional standing counsel for the Centre in 1990.
- Reddy also worked as legal adviser and standing counsel for Osmania University.
- He was appointed a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh high court in May 1995 and later elevated as Chief Justice of the Gauhati high court in December 2005.
- On January 12, 2007, he became a judge of the Supreme Court of India, serving until his retirement on July 8, 2011.
More about Justice B Sudershan Reddy
Justice Reddy became the first Lokayukta of Goa in March 2013 but resigned within seven months, citing personal reasons.
{{/usCountry}}Justice Reddy became the first Lokayukta of Goa in March 2013 but resigned within seven months, citing personal reasons.
{{/usCountry}}He is also in the Board of Trustees of International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad.
Justice Reddy is the joint candidate of the opposition parties for the Vice-Presidential polls, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced on Tuesday.
"All INDIA bloc parties has decided to have a common candidate, the decision has been taken unanimously. I am happy that all opposition parties have agreed to one name. It is a big achievement for democracy," Kharge said.