1946 International Court of Justice judges election

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The 1946 International Court of Justice election took place on 6 February 1946 in Westminster Central Hall, London. This was the first ever election of Judges of the Court, one the six "principal organs" of the newly created United Nations. All 15 seats were to be filled.

Contents

Candidates

Qualifications

Article 2 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice provides that judges shall be elected "from among persons of high moral character, who possess the qualifications required in their respective countries for appointment to the highest judicial offices, or are jurisconsults of recognized competence in international law".

Nomination procedure

All States parties to the Statute of the ICJ had the right to propose candidates. Nominations of candidates for election to the ICJ are made by a group consisting of the members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), designated by that State. For this purpose, members of the PCA act in "national groups" (i.e. all the PCA members from any individual state). (In the case of UN member states not represented in the PCA, the state in question may select up to four individuals to be its "national group" for the purpose of nominating candidates to the ICJ). Every such "national group" may nominate up to four candidates, not more than two of whom shall be of their own nationality. Before making these nominations, each "national group" is recommended to consult its highest court of justice, its legal faculties and schools of law, and its national academies and national sections of international academies devoted to the study of law.

1946 nominees

The following candidates were nominated for the election: [1]

CandidatesNominating national groups
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg Hildebrando Pompeu Pinto Accioli (Brazil)Brazil
Flag of Uruguay.svg Eduardo Blanco Acevedo (Uruguay)Uruguay
State Flag of Iran (1925).svg Mostafa Adl (Iran)Iran
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Nasrat al-Farisi [ar] (Iraq)Iraq
Flag of Syria (1932-1958; 1961-1963).svg Fares al-Khoury (Syria)Syria, Iraq
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Tawfiq al-Suwaidi (Iraq)Iraq
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Rafael Altamira (Spain)France
Flag of Chile.svg Alejandro Álvarez (Chile)Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Uruguay
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Luis Anderson [es] (Costa Rica)Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg Philadelpho Azevedo (Brazil)Brazil, Canada, Chile, Haiti, Lebanon, Paraguay
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg Abdel Hamid Badawi Pasha (Egypt)Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kenneth Hamilton Bailey (Australia)Australia
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno (Ecuador)Ecuador
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Jules Basdevant (France)Belgium, Canada, France, Greece, Luxembourg, United States
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Octavio Béeche Argüello [es] (Costa Rica)Costa Rica
Flag of Turkey.svg Cemil Bilsel (Turkey)Turkey
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Leslie Brierly (United Kingdom)Ethiopia
Flag of Cuba.svg Antonio Sánchez de Bustamante y Sirven (Cuba)Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama
Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg Julián Ríos Cáceres [es] Honduras
Flag of Lebanon.svg Choucri Cardahi [fr] Lebanon
Flag of Haiti (1820-1849, 1859-1964).svg Victor Cauvin Haiti
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Cheng Tien-Hsi Netherlands
Flag of Chile.svg Miguel Cruchaga Tocornal El Salvador
State Flag of Iran (1925).svg Ahmad Matin-Daftari Iran, Lebanon
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Reginald Percy Basil Davis South Africa
Flag of the Philippines.svg Francisco Delgado Philippines
Flag of Bolivia.svg Eduardo Díez de Medina El Salvador
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg Isidro Fabela Alfaro Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Vladimír Fajnor [sk] (Czechoslovakia)Czechoslovakia, Ukrainian SSR
Flag of Guatemala.svg Jose Falla Aris (Guatemala)Guatemala (withdrawn)
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Charles Fenwick (United States)Venezuela
Flag of the Philippines.svg Manuel Gallego (Philippines)Philippines
Flag of Peru (1884-1950).svg Arturo García Salazar [es] (Peru)Peru
Flag of El Salvador.svg Jose Gustavo Guerrero (El Salvador)Australia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Green Hackworth (United States)Nicaragua, Turkey, United States
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Francois Petrus van den Heever (South Africa)South Africa
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Hsu Mo (Republic of China)China, Philippines
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Manley Hudson (United States)Argentina, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Panama, Philippines
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Cecil Hurst (United Kingdom)France, Greece
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Salih Jabr (Iraq)Iraq (withdrawn)
Flag of the Philippines.svg Mariano Honrade de Joya (Philippines)Philippines
Flag of Norway.svg Helge Klæstad (Norway)Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Mihailo Konstantinović [sr] (Yugoslavia)Byelorussian SSR, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia
Flag of Ukrainian SSR (1937-1949).svg Vladimir Mikhailovich Koretsky [ru] [ukr] [de] (Ukrainian SSR) [2] Ukrainian SSR
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jan Krčmář [cz] (Czechoslovakia)Czechoslovakia
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg Sergei Borisovich Krylov (USSR)Poland, USSR
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Jerzy Langrod [pl] (Poland)Poland, Ukrainian SSR, USSR
Flag of Haiti (1820-1849, 1859-1964).svg Abel Leger (Haiti)Haiti
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Arturo Logroño [es] (Dominican Republic)Dominican Republic
Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg Julián López Pineda [de] (Honduras)Honduras
Flag of Colombia.svg Carlos Lozano y Lozano (Colombia)Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Arnold McNair (United Kingdom)Argentina, Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, Turkey, United Kingdom
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg George Maridakis [gr] (Greece)Greece
Flag of Uruguay.svg Martín C. Martínez (Uruguay)Uruguay
Flag of New Zealand.svg Michael Myers (New Zealand)New Zealand
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracciolo Parra Pérez [es] (Venezuela)Venezuela
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg Ivan Sergeyevich Peretersky [ru] (USSR)USSR
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Néstor Luis Pérez [es] (Venezuela)Venezuela
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Massimo Pilotti (Italy)France
Flag of Argentina.svg Luis Podestá Costa [es] (Argentina)Argentina
Flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (1937-1951).svg Nikolai Nikolayevich Polyansky [ru] (Byelorussian SSR) [2] Byelorussian SSR
Flag of Guatemala.svg Miguel Prado Solares (Guatemala)Guatemala (withdrawn)
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg John Erskine Read (Canada)Canada
Flag of Bolivia.svg Julio Salmón (Bolivia)Bolivia
Flag of Turkey.svg Muammer Raşit Seviğ [tr] (Turkey)Turkey
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Jean Spiropoulos (Greece)Greece, United States
Flag of Cuba.svg Cosme de la Torriente (Cuba)Cuba
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Manuel de Jesus Troncoso de la Concha (Dominican Republic)Dominican Republic
Flag of Bolivia.svg José Macedonio Urquidi [es] (Bolivia)Bolivia
Flag of Colombia.svg Francisco José Urrutia (Colombia)Colombia
Flag of Paraguay (1842-1954).svg Celso Ramon Velázquez [es] (Paraguay)Paraguay
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Hendrik Willem Verzijl [nl] (Netherlands)Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands
Flag of Peru (1884-1950).svg Manuel Vicente Villarán [es] (Peru)Peru
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Charles de Visscher (Belgium)Argentina, Belgium, Ethiopia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Bohdan Winiarski (Poland)Poland
British Raj Red Ensign.svg Muhammad Zafarullah Khan (India)India, United Kingdom
Flag of Nicaragua (1908-1971).svg Maximo Zepeda (Nicaragua)Nicaragua
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Milovan Zoričić (Yugoslavia)Ukrainian SSR, United Kingdom, USSR, Yugoslavia
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg Youssef Zulficar Pasha (Egypt)Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria

Procedure

As the 1946 election was the first of its kind, some aspects of the rules of procedure were yet to be finalized.

According to the Statute, ICJ judges are elected through parallel procedures at the General Assembly and the Security Council. To be elected, a candidate must obtain an absolute majority of votes both in the General Assembly and in the Security Council.

At the time, 26 votes constituted an absolute majority in the General Assembly and 6 votes constituted an absolute majority in the Security Council (with no distinction being made between permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council).

Results

Vote 1

Candidates General Assembly [3]
majority = 26
Security Council [4]
majority = 6
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg Hildebrando Pompeu Pinto Accioli withdrew
Flag of Uruguay.svg Eduardo Blanco Acevedo 61
State Flag of Iran (1925).svg Mostafa Adl 131
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Nasrat al-Farisi Nasrat al-Farisi [ar] 20
Flag of Syria (1932-1958; 1961-1963).svg Fares al-Khoury 20
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Rafael Altamira 91
Flag of Chile.svg Alejandro Álvarez 317
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Luis Anderson [es] 91
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg Philadelpho Azevedo 319
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg Abdel Hamid Badawi Pasha 3010
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kenneth Hamilton Bailey 186
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno 00
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Jules Basdevant 3910
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Octavio Béeche Argüello [es] 10
Flag of Turkey.svg Cemil Bilsel 60
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Leslie Brierly 00
Flag of Cuba.svg Antonio Sánchez de Bustamante y Sirven 60
Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg Julián Ríos Cáceres [es] 90
Flag of Lebanon.svg Choucri Cardahi [fr] 00
Flag of Haiti (1820-1849, 1859-1964).svg Victor Cauvin 20
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Cheng Tien-Hsi withdrew
Flag of Chile.svg Miguel Cruchaga Tocornal 00
State Flag of Iran (1925).svg Ahmad Matin-Daftari 00
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Reginald Percy Basil Davis 81
Flag of the Philippines.svg Francisco Delgado 130
Flag of Bolivia.svg Eduardo Díez de Medina 00
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg Isidro Fabela Alfaro 338
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Vladimír Fajnor [sk] 10
Flag of Guatemala.svg Jose Falla Aris withdrew
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Charles Fenwick 00
Flag of the Philippines.svg Manuel Gallego 00
Flag of Peru (1884-1950).svg Arturo García Salazar [es] 00
Flag of El Salvador.svg Jose Gustavo Guerrero 346
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Green Hackworth 328
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Francois Petrus van den Heever 10
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Hsu Mo 4111
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Manley Hudson 101
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Cecil Hurst 20
Flag of Iraq (1924-1959).svg Salih Jabr withdrew
Flag of the Philippines.svg Mariano Honrade de Joya 21
Flag of Norway.svg Helge Klæstad 216
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Mihailo Konstantinović [sr] 40
Flag of Ukrainian SSR (1937-1949).svg Vladimir Mikhailovich Koretsky [ru] [ukr] [de] 00
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jan Krčmář [cz] 30
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg Sergei Borisovich Krylov 3411
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Jerzy Langrod [pl] 20
Flag of Haiti (1820-1849, 1859-1964).svg Abel Leger 50
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Arturo Logroño [es] 00
Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg Julián López Pineda [de] 00
Flag of Colombia.svg Carlos Lozano y Lozano 152
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Arnold McNair 3410
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg George Maridakis [gr] 10
Flag of Uruguay.svg Martín C. Martínez 10
Flag of New Zealand.svg Michael Myers 41
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Caracciolo Parra Pérez [es] 141
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg Ivan Sergeyevich Peretersky [ru] 10
Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Néstor Luis Pérez [es] 12
Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Massimo Pilotti 01
Flag of Argentina.svg Luis Podestá Costa [es] 305
Flag of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (1937-1951).svg Nikolai Nikolayevich Polyansky [ru] 10
Flag of Guatemala.svg Miguel Prado Solares withdrew
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg John Erskine Read 278
Flag of Bolivia.svg Julio Salmón 00
Flag of Turkey.svg Muammer Raşit Seviğ [tr] 10
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Jean Spiropoulos 184
Flag of Cuba.svg Cosme de la Torriente 20
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Manuel de Jesus Troncoso de la Concha 00
Flag of Bolivia.svg José Macedonio Urquidi [es] 10
Flag of Colombia.svg Francisco José Urrutia 00
Flag of Paraguay (1842-1954).svg Celso Ramon Velázquez [es] 10
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Hendrik Willem Verzijl [nl] 85
Flag of Peru (1884-1950).svg Manuel Vicente Villarán [es] 00
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Charles de Visscher 409
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Bohdan Winiarski 195
British Raj Red Ensign.svg Muhammad Zafarullah Khan 274
Flag of Nicaragua (1908-1971).svg Maximo Zepeda 60
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Milovan Zoričić 268
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg Youssef Zulficar Pasha 00

Thirteen candidates received an absolute majority of votes in both bodies and were thus elected to the Court. Two seats were to be filled through further rounds of voting.

Further votes

(Candidates who did not obtain a single vote in any of the two bodies are not listed)

Candidates General Assembly [5] [6]
majority = 26
Security Council [7]
majority = 6
State Flag of Iran (1925).svg Mostafa Adl 011100
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kenneth Hamilton Bailey 151512311
Flag of Turkey.svg Cemil Bilsel 200000
Flag of Honduras (1898-1949).svg Julián Ríos Cáceres [es] 120000
Flag of the Philippines.svg Francisco Delgado 241000
Flag of Peru (1884-1950).svg Arturo García Salazar [es] 100000
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Manley Hudson 000100
Flag of Norway.svg Helge Klæstad 1630 -58-
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Mihailo Konstantinović [sr] 001000
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Jerzy Langrod [pl] 100000
Flag of Colombia.svg Carlos Lozano y Lozano 100000
Flag of Argentina.svg Luis Podestá Costa [es] 431000
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Jean Spiropoulos 1030100
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Hendrik Willem Verzijl [nl] 1180312
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Bohdan Winiarski 1824267-8
British Raj Red Ensign.svg Muhammad Zafarullah Khan 15117210

At the second vote, Mr Winiarski obtained an absolute majority of votes in the Security Council, and no candidate could obtain an absolute majority of votes in the General Assembly.

After the second vote, debates followed both in the Council and the Assembly, seeking to clarify the procedure to be followed. The Statute provided that if vacancies remain after the first meeting, the two organs proceed, again independently of one another, at a second meeting and, if necessary, a third meeting to elect candidates by further ballots for seats remaining vacant, the results again being compared after the required number of candidates have obtained an absolute majority in each organ. If after the third meeting, one or more seats still remain unfilled, the General Assembly and the Security Council may form a joint conference consisting of six members, three appointed by each organ. This joint conference may, by an absolute majority, agree upon one name for each seat still vacant and submit the name for the respective acceptance of the General Assembly and the Security Council.

The discussion therefore arose as to whether each round of voting should count as one meeting, or whether several rounds of voting may be held at one meeting - in other words, whether the next round of voting at each body would constitute the third meeting following which a joint conference could be formed.

The General Assembly proceeded on the understanding that each round of voting is a separate meeting. At its third vote, Mr Klaestad received an absolute majority of votes.

The Security Council proceeded on the opposite understanding and took a third vote without the candidature of Mr Winiarski, who had obtained an absolute majority at the second vote. Mr Klaestad received an absolute majority of votes and was declared elected.

The Assembly then discussed whether a joint conference was to be formed, but decided to go on with the fourth round of voting. Mr Winiarski obtained an absolute majority of votes. The Security Council then proceeded on its fourth round of voting and confirmed an absolute majority of votes in favour of Mr Winiarski who was thus also elected.

In future elections, this procedure would be streamlined in order to avoid this sort of confusion.

Composition of the Court

Following the election, lots were drawn in order to determine which judges were to sit a nine-year term, a six-year term and a three-year term, so as to allow a re-election of one third of the judges every three years. [8] The final composition of the Court, with indication of the length of judges' terms, was as follows:

JudgeTerm starts /
renewed
Term ends
Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg Abdel Hamid Badawi Pasha 19461949
Flag of the Republic of China.svg Hsu Mo 19461949
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg John Read 19461949
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Bohdan Winiarski 19461949
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Milovan Zoričić 19461949
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg Isidro Fabela Alfaro 19461952
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Green Hackworth 19461952
Flag of Norway.svg Helge Klæstad 19461952
Flag of the Soviet Union (1936 - 1955).svg Sergei Krylov 19461952
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Charles de Visscher 19461952
Flag of Chile.svg Alejandro Álvarez 19461955
Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg Philadelpho Azevedo 19461955
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Jules Basdevant 19461955
Flag of El Salvador.svg Jose Gustavo Guerrero 19461955
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Arnold McNair 19461955

The election in order to fill vacancies that would open in 1949 were held in 1948, launching the now standard three-year cycle of ICJ elections.

References

  1. "UN document A/8. Election of members of the International Court of Justice: list of candidates nominated by the national groups" (PDF). United Nations.
  2. 1 2 The Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR, constituent republics of the Soviet Union, enjoyed UN membership in their own right
  3. "UN document A/PV.23. General Assembly. 23rd plenary meeting" (PDF). United Nations.
  4. "UN document S/PV.9. Security Council. Official records. 9th meeting" (PDF). United Nations.
  5. "UN document A/PV.24. General Assembly. 24th plenary meeting" (PDF). United Nations.
  6. "UN document A/PV.25. General Assembly. 25th plenary meeting" (PDF). United Nations.
  7. "UN document S/PV.9. Security Council. Official records. 9th meeting" (PDF). United Nations.
  8. "UN document A/PV.26. General Assembly. 26th plenary meeting" (PDF). United Nations.