Who is Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, opposition’s Vice Presidential candidate?
New Delhi: The INDIA opposition bloc has announced Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy, former Supreme Court judge and Goa’s first Lokayukta, as its candidate for the Vice Presidential election scheduled on September 9. He will contest against NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan.
Early life and education
Justice Bommagani Sudershan Reddy was born on July 8, 1946, in Akula Mylaram village, then Ibrahimpatnam Taluq (now Kandukur Mandal) of Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh, into an agricultural family. He studied in Hyderabad and obtained his LL.B. degree from Osmania University in 1971, the same year he enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh.
Early legal career
He began his practice under the guidance of K. Pratap Reddy, Senior Advocate of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, handling civil and constitutional matters. On August 8, 1988, he was appointed Government Pleader in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, in charge of the Revenue Department, serving until January 1990. He later briefly served as Additional Standing Counsel for the Central Government.
In addition to his legal practice, Justice Reddy also worked as Secretary and Correspondent of A.V. Education Society and served as Legal Advisor and Standing Counsel for Osmania University from January 1993. In 1993-94, he was elected President of the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates’ Association.
Judicial career
Justice Reddy was elevated as an Additional Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court on May 2, 1995, and confirmed as a permanent judge later that year. His merit and seniority led to his appointment as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court on December 5, 2005.
On January 12, 2007, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India, where he served until his retirement on July 8, 2011.
Post-retirement role
In March 2013, he was appointed as the first Lokayukta of Goa, a position created to investigate corruption in public offices. However, he resigned in October 2013, citing personal reasons and concerns over institutional limitations.
Landmark judgments
Justice Reddy’s tenure in the Supreme Court is noted for several important rulings:
Black Money Case (2011): Ordered the creation of a Special Investigation Team to probe black money stashed abroad, strongly criticizing government inaction.
Salwa Judum Case (2011): Declared the Chhattisgarh government’s use of armed tribal youth as “Special Police Officers” unconstitutional, terming it a violation of fundamental rights.
Ambani Gas Dispute (2010): Part of the Constitution Bench that ruled natural gas is a national asset under government control, not private agreements.
Public image
Throughout his judicial and professional career, Justice Reddy has been regarded as an independent-minded jurist, known for his integrity, constitutional vision, and emphasis on accountability in governance. His nomination is seen as the opposition’s attempt to project credibility and constitutional propriety in the Vice Presidential contest.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
