Bimal Patel from India has been chosen as a judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). His election by the signatory countries of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea took place on Thursday at the United Nations. Patel will assume his role in September, succeeding Neeru Chadha when her term ends.
India will maintain its representation on the tribunal with Patel’s election, following Chadha’s nine-year tenure. Currently serving as the vice president of the tribunal, Chadha will be succeeded by Patel. Patel, an international jurist, also holds positions at the UN’s International Law Commission and as the vice chancellor of Rashtriya Raksha University in Gujarat.
With a background in International Law from Leiden University and Jaipur National University, Patel’s election signifies India’s commitment to multilateralism and the Law of the Sea. Indian diplomats advocated for his election at the UN over the past year. Among the seven seats available for election this year on the tribunal, two were allocated to the Asian region, with Patel and Vietnam’s Nguyen Lan-Anh Thi securing the positions.
Patel garnered 115 votes out of 168 valid votes during the election held at the thirty-sixth meeting of States Parties to the Law of the Sea Convention. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, consists of 21 judges who adjudicate disputes related to seas and oceans, interpreting maritime law. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed gratitude to the UNCLOS members for their support, congratulating Dr. Bimal Patel for his election.
