Opposition's India bloc on Tuesday announced B Sudershan Reddy, former Supreme Court judge, as its Vice Presidential candidate for the election to be held on Spetember 9. This put to rest speculations about the Opposition's nominee for the prestigious office.
Reddy will now compete against CP Radhakrishnan, the ruling NDA's pick for the Vice Presidential election. The announcement was made by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge following a meeting of the INDI alliance to finalise the name.
"B. Sudershan Reddy is one of India's most distinguished and progressive jurists. He has had a long and eminent legal career, including as judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court and Judge of the Supreme Court," Kharge said.
He has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice. He is a poor man and many judgments if you read, will know that how he favored the poor people and also protected the Constitution and fundamental rights, he added.
Who is B Sudershan Reddy?
- B Sudarshan Reddy was born on July 8, 1946 in Akula Mylaram village of the present-day Ranga Reddy district in Andhra Pradesh.
- He is a former judge of the Supreme Court of India and the first Lokayukta of Goa.
- Coming from an agricultural family, he pursued his early education in Hyderabad and went on to complete his law degree from Osmania University in 1971.
- He began his legal career the same year, enrolling as an advocate with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh.
- Reddy practised primarily in writ and civil matters at the Andhra Pradesh High Court and later served as Government Pleader between 1988 and 1990.
- He also briefly worked as Additional Standing Counsel for the Central Government and was Legal Adviser and Standing Counsel for Osmania University.
- He was elevated as a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1995, became Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in 2005.
- In 2007, Reddy was appointed to the Supreme Court of India in 2007, where he served until his retirement in July 2011.
