B Sudarshan Reddy

Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, born on 8 July 1946 in Akula Mylaram, Ranga Reddy district (now Telangana), comes from an agricultural family. After earning his LL.B. from Osmania University in 1971, he enrolled as an advocate and began practicing civil and constitutional law, apprenticing under senior counsel K. Pratap Reddy. Reddy built a sterling reputation, serving as Government Pleader (1988–1990), Additional Standing Counsel for the Government of India, and Legal Advisor to Osmania University.

His judicial journey began with his appointment as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in May 1995. He was elevated to become Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in December 2005 and then appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of India in January 2007, where he served until his retirement in July 2011. Post-retirement, he became the first Lokayukta of Goa in 2013, although he resigned later that year for personal reasons.
Reddy has also made notable contributions beyond the judiciary. He served on the Board of Trustees of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad, and was actively involved in reviewing Telangana’s 2024 socio-economic survey—his expert group's report laid the groundwork for proposing 42% reservation for backward classes in local elections.

In August 2025, the INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc nominated him as their Vice-Presidential candidate, positioning him as a progressive jurist championing constitutional values in an ideological contest with the NDA’s nominee. He personally framed his run as a principled stand to “save the soul of the nation”, appealing to MPs to vote beyond party lines to safeguard democratic norms. Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin called him a “jurist of integrity,” while even the JMM’s backing underscored the ideological unity behind his candidacy.

Despite his respected stature, the election results saw him defeated: C.P. Radhakrishnan, the NDA candidate, won the Vice Presidency with 452 votes, while Reddy garnered 300 votes; 13 MPs abstained. In the final days leading to the vote, Reddy faced criticism over a meeting with Lalu Prasad (a convicted politician), which former judges described as ill-advised, calling into question the optics of such a political outreach.