Justice Dalveer Bhandari is re-nominated by India for another nine year term as the judge of the International Court of Justice. It is also known as the World Court and is in The Hague, Netherlands.
Justice Bhandari, born on October 1, 1947 is from a lawyer family as his father Mahaveer Chand Bhandari and his grandfather B C Bhandari were the members of the Bar Council of Rajasthan, Jodhpur. After getting education in Humanities and Law from Jodhpur University, he practiced law at the Rajasthan High Court from 1968-1970. After completing the masters from Northwestern University School of Law, US, he worked at the Northwestern Legal Assistance Clinic. Tumkur University, Karnataka granted him Doctor of Laws (LL.D) degree honoris causa for his law and justice related contributions. He was also honored with Doctor of Letters by Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University Kota.
From Lawyer to Member of International Court Of Justice
- After returning from US Justice Bhandari practiced at Rajasthan High Court from 1973-1976.
- In 1977, he shifted to Delhi and practiced in Supreme Court.
- His 23 year of lawyer practices allowed him to be judge at Delhi High Court in 1991.
- Later he was appointed Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.
- In 2005, he got elevated to the Supreme Court Judge.
- On June 19, 2012, he sworn as a member of ICJ.
- In 2014, Justin Dalveer Bhandari was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award in India.
Rewards Presented to Justice Bhandari
- He has also been an executive member of International Law Association, India Chapter since 1994.
- He was also elected as the President of the India International Law Foundation in 2007, the position he holds till now.
Justice Bhandari is known for his landmark judgments that caused the government to consider changes in laws. Some of the changes made by his judgments include amendment in Hindu Marriage Act (1955), increase in quantum of food given by govt to every person below the poverty line, provisions regarding making night shelters for the homeless of the country and his judgment regarding right to free and compulsory education for children.
While he was earlier in ICJ, Justice Bhandari’s active work in the court and again his individual opinion on several cases made him known to many people. He showed his opinions on subjects like maritime disputes, whaling in Antarctica, crime of genocide, delimitation of continental shelf, nuclear disarmament, financing of terrorism and violation of sovereign rights.
