New Delhi: INDIA bloc has decided to field retired Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy as the candidate for the upcoming Vice-President elections.
The decision was taken unanimously, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge told in a press conference on Tuesday, August 19. Leaders belonging to the INDIA bloc took part in the press conference held in New Delhi.
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“This Vice-Presidential contest is an ideological battle, and all the opposition parties agreed on this, and this is the reason we have nominated B Sudershan Reddy as the joint candidate…,” Kharge said. The AAP, which is not part of INDIA Bloc, has also reportedly supported his candidature.
Calling Justice (Retd) Reddy as one of India’s most distinguished and progressive jurists, Kharge added: “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 favoured the poor people and also protected the Constitution and fundamental rights.”
Justice (Retd.) Reddy served as a Supreme Court judge between 2007 and 2011, for four-and-a-half years. He had rendered several landmark judgments on various branches of law, in particular on issues of criminal jurisprudence, Constitution, taxation, service law and human rights.
He served as Goa’s first Lokayukta, but subsequently resigned within seven months. He had also served as the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court until he became a Supreme Court judge.
Born in a village in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, Justice (Retd.) Reddy graduated in law from Osmania University. He became an additional judge in Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1993.
INDIA’s bloc decision comes two days after the ruling NDA fielded Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan for the elections.
The Vice-President election is scheduled to be held on September 9 and the last date to file nomination is on August 21.
Here are five facts about Justice B Sudershan Reddy:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Reddy also worked as legal adviser and standing counsel for Osmania University.
4. 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.
5. On January 12, 2007, he became a judge of the Supreme Court of India, serving until his retirement on July 8, 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 International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad. Justice.
