Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Judge Dalveer Bhandari on being re-elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and also lauded the efforts of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her team for their “untiring efforts” to ensure India’s re-election.
In a series of tweets, Modi said: “I congratulate Justice Dalveer Bhandari on being re-elected to the International Court of Justice. His re-election is a proud moment for us.”
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“Congratulations to EAM @SushmaSwaraj and her entire team at MEA & diplomatic missions for their untiring efforts that have led to India’s re-election to ICJ.”
“Our deep gratitude to all the members of UNGA as well as UNSC for their support and trust in India,” Modi said.
Judge Bhandari was re-elected to the ICJ on Monday as the General Assembly rallied behind him in a show of strength that made Britain bow to the majority and withdraw its candidate Christopher Greenwood.
The withdrawal of its candidate by Britain, which had the backing of its fellow permanent members, was a setback for the Security Council that had been locked in a test of wills with the Assembly.
A candidate has to win a majority in both the chambers. Bhandari won majorities in the Assembly in the first 11 rounds of voting over two meetings, while the Council blocked his election by giving majorities to Greenwood in the ten rounds of balloting it held.
Bhandari’s election was a dramatic face-saving turn of fortunes for India, as he lost the Asian seat on the ICJ to Lebanese lawyer-turned-diplomat Nawaf Salam, who had been campaigning for two years and had the backing of the powerful Organisation of Islamic Cooperation with 55 members in the UN.
