Former Supreme Court Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy at a program organized by All India Lawyers’ Union and Jana Vignana Vedika in Vijayawada on Sunday. | Photo credit: GN RAO
Former Supreme Court Justice B. Sudershan Reddy observed that the Constitution faced challenges from all autonomous institutions, including the judiciary, whose duty it was to uphold it.
Referring to the controversial verdict of a Tamil Nadu High Court judge on a petition related to the lighting of a sacred lamp at the Subramaniya Swamy temple in Thirupparankundram, he said courts, like other institutions, have a duty to uphold constitutional norms.
Justice (V.) Sudershan Reddy, who was the chief guest at a seminar on ‘Challenges in Implementation of the Constitution’ jointly organized by the All India Lawyers’ Union (AILU) and Jan Vignana Vedika here on Sunday, said his statement may appear broad but it is not baseless, pointing out that there are several judgments which have been seen as constitutional principles.
“The judicial appointment and transfer process has also been questioned quite often, which calls for corrective action,” he said.
Referring to the fact that the governors refused to read the speeches given to them by the elected governments in the legislative assemblies and their increasing tendency to walk out was unfortunate, he observed.
He emphasized that the governor’s defiance of the Council of Ministers should be properly dealt with. The failure to remove the Governor for misconduct, contrary to the provision for removal of the President of India or the Vice President by due process, was a constitutional vulnerability, he argued.
“SIR unwanted”
Further, Justice (V.) Sudershan Reddy said that special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is undesirable as all possible efforts have been made to remove stateless persons, migrants and foreign nationals on unjustifiable grounds.
It should never be forgotten that the ‘reservoir of powers’ that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had was to ensure free and fair elections.
He said delimitation of constituencies has its own implications, including huge financial implications, and criticized the repeated “congratulations” of Union ministers by state chief ministers, saying it was wrong in a federal system of governance.
Speakers included JVV state president KS Lakshman Rao, former MLCs K. Nageshwar, V. Balasubramanyam and M. Geyanand, AILU national executive president Sunkara Rajendra Prasad and state secretary Narra Srinivasa Rao.
Published – 25 Jan 2026 20:19 IST
