Bimal Patel Sworn In As Judge Of International Tribunal For The Law Of The Sea
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Indian international jurist Bimal Patel has been sworn in as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), beginning his nine-year term at the maritime court in Hamburg, Germany.
Patel took the oath of office on Thursday, continuing India's representation on the tribunal after Neeru Chadha, who served as vice president of ITLOS, completed her term on Wednesday.
Patel Elected With 115 Votes
Patel was elected as a judge of ITLOS last year by countries that are party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He secured 115 of the 168 valid votes cast in the election held at the United Nations in New York.
The tribunal was established under UNCLOS to adjudicate disputes concerning seas and oceans and to interpret international law relating to the sea. A total of 172 countries have acceded to the convention.
Four Other Judges Sworn In
ITLOS has 21 judges representing different geographical regions, with their terms staggered.
Four other judges elected alongside Patel last year were also sworn in on Thursday. They are Sylvia Ama Adusu of Ghana, George Rodrigo Bandeira Galindo of Brazil, Slim Laghmani of Tunisia and Lan-Anh Thi Nguyen of Viet Nam.
Patel's International Law And Security Background
Patel has served on the United Nations International Law Commission and was the vice chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat when he was elected to the tribunal.
He holds PhDs in International Law from Leiden University in the Netherlands and Jaipur National University.
Among the positions he has held is membership of the National Security Advisory Board under the National Security Council Secretariat.
India's Presence At ITLOS Continues
Patel's appointment continues India's presence on the Hamburg-based tribunal. He succeeds Chadha, whose term ended a day before he took office.
ITLOS is an independent judicial body responsible for settling maritime disputes and interpreting the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
