Indian jurist Bimal N Patel was sworn in as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg on October 1. An official tribunal release confirms that he was among five new members taking office for nine-year terms beginning that day.
The other new judges are from Ghana, Brazil, Tunisia and Vietnam. At the public sitting, they made the declaration required by the tribunal's statute to exercise their powers impartially and conscientiously. Patel's swearing-in follows his election by states parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea earlier this year.
The 21-member tribunal deals with disputes over the convention's interpretation and application, including maritime boundaries, navigation and protection of the marine environment. Its judges serve as independent members.
Patel has previously led Gujarat National Law University and worked at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The October 1 development is his assumption of judicial office, rather than a new election result.