Former SC judge B Sudershan Reddy named INDIA alliance candidate for VP election

New Delhi: Opposition parties on Tuesday announced former Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy as the INDIA alliance candidate for the upcoming Vice President election.

"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," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, announcing the name of Reddy.

Reddy's name was chosen after several opposition leaders met at Kharge's residence on Monday evening and discussed names for the second-highest constitutional post in the country.

In Reddy, the Congress-led INDIA bloc has fielded a "non-political" face who has national standing and stature for the second-top constitutional position, sources said.

Who is B Sudershan Reddy?

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 the 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 on the Board of Trustees of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its nominee for the vice-president's post.

The vice-presidential election, necessitated by the sudden resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar last month, is scheduled for September 9. The last date for filing nominations is August 21.