Bhandari in ICJ: ‘Sun Setting in Empire 2.0?’ Asks British MP

India’s Justice Dalveer Bhandari won the last seat at the ICJ after Britain withdrew its candidate.

British MP Patrick Grady from the Scottish National Party raised the issue of Indian judge Dalveer Bhandari being elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after UK withdrew its candidate on 21 November.

Grady, in the House of Commons, said as UK lost its seat on the ICJ for the first time since 1946 "It appears the sun is setting on the Brexiteers dream of Empire 2.0 before it has even risen."

It appears the sun is setting on the Brexiteers dream of Empire 2.0 before it has even risen as we hear the UK has lost its seat on the International Court of Justice for the first time since 1946 #FCO #Brexit pic.twitter.com/bC8wYnTwI1

— Patrick Grady MP (@GradySNP) November 21, 2017

British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Boris Johnson acted like a good sport over Bhandari's election and replied to Grady in the Parliament saying "Whole House will join me in congratulating the Indian judge... and it is a fine thing that another common law judge has joined the ICJ."

Dalveer Bhandari received 183-193 votes in the General Assembly and secured all the 15 votes in the Security Council after separate and simultaneous elections were held at the UN headquarters in New York.

Bhandari along with Birtish candidate Christopher Greenwood were seeking re-election for the nine-year term. But the British withdrew from the election to the 15-membered ICJ before the final round of voting.

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