How a local lawyer rose to the world's highest court
In short: From practicing in the Rajasthan High Court to the International Court of Justice, Dalveer Bhandari’s career spans continents and legal systems. His journey is defined by a transition from domestic litigation to shaping global jurisprudence through landmark judicial decisions and international diplomacy.
Born in 1947, Dalveer Bhandari’s legal foundation was built in India, following a lineage of lawyers including his father, Mahaveer Chand Bhandari, and grandfather, B.C. Bhandari. After studying at Jodhpur University, his career took an international turn in 1970 when an international scholarship brought him to the University of Chicago. There, he studied at Northwestern University School of Law, earning a Master of Laws and working within the Northwestern Legal Assistance Clinic.
Bhandari’s judicial career is marked by significant domestic impact. As Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, appointed in July 2004, he drove structural reforms, including the creation of mediation and conciliation centres across Maharashtra and Goa. His rulings had tangible social consequences, such as increasing fund allocations for malnutrition in five backward districts of Maharashtra and expanding food grain supplies for those below the poverty line. He also influenced national policy regarding night shelters for the homeless and educational infrastructure for children.
His ascent to the global stage culminated in 2012. Following the vacancy left by Judge Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh, the Indian government nominated Bhandari to the International Court of Justice. In the April 2012 election, he secured 122 votes in the UN General Assembly, defeating rival Florentino Feliciano. After serving his first term, he was re-elected to a second term in November 2017. His career has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Padma Bhushan in 2014 and several honorary doctorates.
Beyond the bench, Bhandari has been a proponent of legal modernization, focusing on computerization, intellectual property law, and legal literacy. His influence even extends to potential legislative shifts in India, as the government has considered amending the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, based on his landmark judgement regarding the irretrievable breakdown of marriage.
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