'Bhandari's victory a matter of great honour and pride'

, Apr 27: India today lauded election of Justice Dalveer Bhandari to a seat on the International Court of Justice, saying victory at the UN elections points to the global community wanting New Delhi to be in the Security Council as a permanent member.

"This is a red letter day for India. It is a matter of great honour and pride. Justice Bhadari clearly swept the elections in both the UN organs," India's Deputy Permanent Representative at the UN Manjeev Singh Puri told PTI.

64-year-old Justice Bhandari obtained 122 votes in the General Assembly and 13 votes in the 15-nation Security Council against his Filipino rival Justice Florentino Feliciano, who received just 58 votes in the General Assembly.

Puri said the results in such elections demonstrate the international community's opinion that India is able to bring a great deal of merit and expertise and is able to add to making the global order more in consonance with the contemporary realities.

"All of this points to the inevitability that the world actually wants India to be on the global high table, certainly in the Security Council as a permanent member" and have increased representation and participation in bodies like the IMF and World Bank, Puri said.

He said UN elections are a "very important barometer" of where a country stands in terms of global polity and what other member states think of its capacity and capability.

The election wins "are a great testimony to India in the global polity and are clear recognition that the world expects India to have its rightful place on the global high tables," Puri added.

Bhandari has a sterling record, Puri said, adding that he brings to the table the best of the Indian judicial system.

Puri congratulated Bhandari over the phone and said the senior judge was extremely thrilled and grateful over the win. Based at The Hague, the Netherlands, the ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected to nine year terms by the UN General Assembly and Security Council. Bhandari will serve a 2012-18 term in the ICJ. India was last represented at the court more than two decades ago.

PTI