ICJ judges vote in their individual capacity

New Delhi, March 17: The MEA on Thursday said that judges in the ICJ vote in their individual capacity, after Dalveer Bhandari, the Indian judge at the UN’s top court, also joined in the vote against Russia. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, asked about the significance of Justice Bhandari’s vote considering that India has abstained regularly in the UNSC, UNGA and the UNHRC in the votes against Russia, said: “I do not wish to get into how judges on the ICJ should be voting. “I think they vote in their individual capacities. It is not appropriate for us to comment on how judges on the ICJ vote.” Explaining India’s position during voting in the UN bodies on resolutions criticizing Russia, the MEA top official said India abstained on voting “on certain resolutions in certain organizations based on the text that is on the table”. “Our position has been clarified on various occasions through explanation of vote which highlight various aspects; these are very nuanced issues.” He said that Justice Bhandari “happens to be an Indian national” on the ICJ panel. On Wednesday, the United Nations’ top court in a 13-2 decision ordered Russia to immediately halt its “military operations” in Ukraine. The two judges who voted against the ruling were from China and Russia. Justice Bhandari is serving his second term at the World Court. In 2012, he was elected for the first term which continued till 2018. He was renominated by India. (UNI)