The INDIA bloc named B Sudershan Reddy as its Vice President candidate. Born in 1946, he served in Andhra Pradesh, Gauhati and the Supreme Court. He will face NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan on September 9.
The INDIA bloc has picked former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the Vice Presidential election on September 9. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge made the announcement after a meeting of opposition parties in New Delhi. He called Justice Reddy ‘one of India’s most distinguished and progressive jurists’ and said the choice is part of an ‘ideological battle’ the bloc wants to fight. TMC’s Derek O’Brien added that all opposition parties, including AAP, are on board.
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Justice Reddy will file his nomination on August 21. He will contest against the NDA’s nominee CP Radhakrishnan, the Governor of Maharashtra.
Early life and education
B Sudershan Reddy was born on July 8, 1946, in Akula Mylaram village (then Ibrahimpatnam taluka, now in present-day Telangana) to a farmer family. He studied in Hyderabad and earned his law degree from Osmania University in 1971. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh the same year and began practice in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, focusing on writ and civil matters.
Early legal roles and rise in the judiciary
Before becoming a judge, Reddy served as Government Pleader in the Andhra Pradesh High Court from 1988 to 1990, briefly as Additional Standing Counsel for the Central Government in 1990, and as Legal Adviser and Standing Counsel for Osmania University. Justice Reddy was appointed a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on May 2, 1995. He became Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court on December 5, 2005. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of India on January 12, 2007, and retired on July 8, 2011. These dates are recorded in official and reputable public sources.
In March 2013, Reddy became the first Lokayukta of Goa. He resigned in October 2013 citing personal reasons, as confirmed at the time by the Goa government.
What leaders said about Reddy’s nomination
At the press briefing, Mallikarjun Kharge praised Reddy as a ‘consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice’, highlighting his court work that, in Kharge’s words, protected the Constitution and fundamental rights. Opposition leaders also said his name was a unanimous choice across the bloc.
How the Vice President is chosen
The Election Commission has scheduled voting for September 9, 2025, with counting the same day. The last date to file nominations is August 21, and candidates can withdraw till August 25. The early poll follows Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation on July 21 due to health reasons, which triggered the schedule for a by-election.
The Vice President is elected by an electoral college of Members of Parliament from both Houses. Voting is by proportional representation through the single transferable vote, and the ballot is secret, as set out under Article 66(1) and related laws. Fielding a former Supreme Court judge gives the Opposition a candidate with deep legal experience and a long public record. Supporters say Justice Reddy’s background can appeal to MPs across parties because the Vice President is also the Rajya Sabha Chairperson, a role that needs fairness and calm conduct.
At the same time, the NDA is backing CP Radhakrishnan, a veteran leader and Governor, setting up a clear contrast: a retired top judge versus a senior political administrator. This makes the September 9 vote a closely watched contest.
All Opposition MPs are expected to join Justice Reddy’s nomination filing on August 21. Over the next weeks, both sides will seek support from MPs across parties. The result will shape the functioning of the Rajya Sabha for the rest of this term, including how debates are run and how order is maintained during key legislative sessions.
(With ANI inputs)