The Opposition INDIA bloc has named former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy (retd) as its Vice Presidential candidate for the upcoming election scheduled for September 9. Justice Reddy will be contesting against NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan, the current Governor of Maharashtra and a senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu.

About Justice B. Sudershan Reddy

Justice Reddy, born on July 8, 1946, hails from a farming family in Akula Mylaram village, which was then part of Ibrahimpatnam taluka in Rangareddy district of present-day Telangana. He earned his law degree from Osmania University, Hyderabad, in 1971 and enrolled as an advocate with the Andhra Pradesh Bar Council, primarily handling writ and civil cases at the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Before his judicial career, Justice Reddy served as a government pleader between 1988 and 1990. He also briefly worked as Additional Standing Counsel for the central government in 1990 and as the legal adviser and standing counsel for Osmania University.

Justice Reddy was appointed a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1995 and went on to become the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in 2005. He joined the Supreme Court of India in 2007 and retired in 2011. In March 2013, he became the first Lokayukta of Goa, though he resigned in September the same year, citing personal reasons.

The Opposition said that Justice Reddy was the unanimous choice of all parties and formally announced his candidature at a press conference attended by senior leaders. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge praised him as a distinguished jurist, highlighting his work in defending social, economic, and political justice. “He has consistently championed the rights of the poor and protected the Constitution and fundamental rights,” Mr. Kharge said.

The Vice-Presidential election comes following the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, officially due to health concerns, though sources indicate disagreements with the BJP may have prompted his early exit. The last date for filing nominations is August 21, scrutiny will take place on August 22, and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is August 25.

Justice Reddy, with his long legal and judicial experience, now enters the political fray, making the contest a high-profile battle between the Opposition and the ruling NDA.