Reappointment for Justice Dalveer Bhandari to ICJ

India has decided to re-nominate Justice Dalveer Bhandari as a judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Sources revealed that a special representative has already reached the United Nation's office in New York to present his candidature papers.

If the nomination goes through, the retired Supreme Court (SC) judge will serve another nine years on the panel.

According to the ICJ statutes, the four members from India's national group at the Permanent Court of Arbitration have to submit the nomination papers at ICJ. The signatures of these members - former Chief Justice HL Dattu, former SC judge GT Nanavati, senior advocate Harish Salve, and Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, were acquired on Sunday.

According to sources the NDA government had also considered Justice R.S. Pathak former Chief Justice of India, who had previously served as a Judge of the ICJ from 1988-1990. However, Justice Bhandari, who was elevated in 2012, was up eligible for re-election following which he would get a nine-year term.

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN that comprises of a panel of 15 judges who serve for nine years. Of the 15 Judges, three hail from the African subcontinent, two from Latin America; three from Asia; five from Western Europe and other States and lastly two from Eastern Europe.

70-year-old Justice Bhandari has significant experience and has delivered a large number of judgments on comparative law, public interest litigation, constitutional law, criminal law, civil procedure code, administrative law, arbitration laws, insurance and banking and family laws. In 1991, Justice Bhandari was elevated as a judge at the Dehi High Court. After he served there for 13 years, he became the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.

In 2005, Justice Bhandari became a SC judge where he served for seven years. Justice Bhandari resigned as an SC judge when he was nominated as a judge at the ICJ.

During his tenure as a judge in India, Justice Bhandari delivered landmark verdicts. The Union of India considered his suggestions to amend the Hindu Marriage Act, incorporating irretrievable breakdown of marriage as a ground for divorce after his landmark judgment in a divorce case.

Justice Bhandari's various orders in the food grains matter led to the release of a higher quantum of supply of food grains to the population living below the poverty line. And his orders in the night shelter matter led to state governments making provision for night shelters for homeless people all over the country.

Justice Bhandari's orders also paved the way for right to free and compulsory education for children that led to the availability of basic infrastructural amenities in primary and secondary schools all over the country.