INDIA bloc picks ex-SC judge B Sudershan Reddy as VP candidate

New Delhi: Former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, who was named as INDIA bloc's candidate for Vice-Presidential election, presided over country's constitutional courts for over 16 years. Born in July 1946, Justice Reddy was appointed as a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on May 2, 1995 and was later appointed as the chief justice of the Gauhati High Court on December 5, 2005. He became a Supreme Court judge on January 12, 2007 and retired on July 8, 2011. He was enrolled as an advocate in Hyderabad with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh on December 27, 1971.

The former top court judge worked as a government pleader in the high court during 1988-90 and also as additional standing counsel for Central government for six months during 1990. He was a legal adviser and standing counsel for Osmania University. 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 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 has decided to have a common candidate, the decision has been taken unanimously. I am happy that all opposition parties have agreed to one name. It is a big achievement for democracy," Kharge said.