INDIA bloc fields ex-SC judge B. Sudershan Reddy in vice-presidential polls
The Opposition Tuesday named former Supreme Court Judge Justice (Retd) B Sudershan Reddy its candidate for the September 9 vice-presidential elections against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s C P Radhakrishnan.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, terming Justice Reddy one of India’s most distinguished and progressive jurists, said the upcoming elections for the post of the vice-president were “an ideological battle” with the Opposition standing united.
“All Opposition parties have nominated Shri B Sudershan Reddy garu as their joint candidate for the position of the Vice President of India,” Kharge announced, adding that Justice Reddy had been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice.
A native of Telangana who grew up in undivided Andhra Pradesh, and went to the Bar at Hyderabad, Justice Reddy was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on May 2, 1995, served as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, and at the Supreme Court between 2007 and 2011.
Most recently, he was at the helm of a high-level independent committee of 11 members constituted by the Revanth Reddy government to conduct an independent verification, analysis, and comprehensive study of the caste census in Telangana.
The Congress president, flanked by TMC MP Derek O’Brien and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, said that Justice Reddy reflected the values that shaped the country’s freedom movement profoundly, and that the Constitution and democracy have been anchored.