The ICJ is comprised of fifteen members which elected for the nine years of tenure by the United Nations General Assembly and The United Nations Security Councilon the basis of the nominations by the national group in the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The provisions of elections are given the article 4-9 in the statutes of the ICJ. In order to maintain the degree of continuity, it conducts elections every three years to elect one-third of members of the court.
Key points related to the ICJ Judges’ election
- The judges of the international court of justice are eligible for re-election, and in case any judge dies or leaves the tenure before time then the vacant post should be filled as soon as possible, and this will lead to new elections.
- The elections of ICJ judges are held in New York (United States of America) during the autumn season of the United Nations General Assembly. And the term of office of the newly elected judges commence from the 6 February of the following year and after that, they elect the President and Vice President with the help of ballot voting.
- The judges should possess the quality of the veteran knowledge with the respect of their country and should have good Moral character moreover he should be competent to become the most senior legal representative office by that country.
- It is clearly mentioned that once a member is elected as the Judge in ICJ, he is no more a representative member of their own state or the other state. He should have integrity in the actions of their duties and he should act impartially and indiscriminately in the court.
- The International Court of Justice also ensures that there will be full independence to all the members of the court to act in a justifiable manner. And there will be no termination without the unanimous elections among all the members of the court. And this is the fact of the court that it never happened.