Justice (retd) B Sudershan Reddy: Who is the Opposition's V-P poll candidate?

Justice (retd) B Sudershan Reddy, a Supreme Court judge, is the Opposition candidate for the Vice Presidential elections. His name was announced by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday (August 19) as the “unanimous choice” of Opposition parties for the Vice Presidential election.

Justice Reddy has been pitted against the NDA candidate and Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, who also held the post of Tamil Nadu BJP president.

Early life and education

Born on July 8, 1946, in the Rangareddy district of present-day Telangana, Justice Reddy received his law degree from Osmania University in Hyderabad.

Justice Reddy became a member of the Andhra Pradesh Bar Council in 1971 and dealt with writ and civil cases in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Prior to taking up the duties of a judge, he had a brief stint as the Additional Standing Counsel for the Centre and also served as the legal adviser and standing counsel for Osmania University.

Also Read: INDIA bloc picks ex-SC judge Sudershan Reddy as Vice-President candidate

Legal career

Reddy became a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1955 and became the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in 2005. He was appointed as a Supreme Court judge in 2007 and retired in 2011.

Justice Reddy became the first Lokayukta of Goa in March 2013 but resigned within seven months, citing personal reasons. He is also in the Board of Trustees of the 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 have decided to have a common candidate; the decision has been taken unanimously. I am happy that all opposition parties have agreed on one name. It is a big achievement for democracy," Kharge said.

(With agency inputs)