India says support at ICJ reflective of 'respect for constitutional integrity'

India on Tuesday said the extraordinary support its candidate received from the members of the United Nations was reflective of "the respect for strong constitutional integrity" of its polity and the independence of its judiciary.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a press release in New Delhi after India's candidate Dalveer Bhandari won the election to fill up the last vacancy in the panel of the judges of the ICJ.

New Delhi welcomed the election of Bhandari, who received all 15 votes in the UN Security Council and 183 out of the 193 votes in the UN General Assembly.

The Indian National Group to the Permanent Court of Arbitration had re-nominated Bhandari as India's national candidate in June 2017. The Government of India has been supporting the campaign of Judge Bhandari through diplomatic efforts at different fora.

"The UK decided to withdraw its candidate (Bhandari's only rival Christopher Greenwood) after a closely fought electoral process. We appreciate the UK decision. We thank all those governments who supported India in this election," the MEA stated in the press release.