India's Dalveer Bhandari re-elected to International Court of Justice

Judge Dalveer Bhandari was re-elected to the International Court of Justice (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.

"I am grateful to all the nations who have supported me," Bhandari told IANS in the Assembly chamber after the election. "It was a big election as you know."

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.

"The British ultimately had to bow down to the will of the majority," a diplomat said. "The Indians stared them down."