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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.

Candidates

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Qualifications

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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

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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

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

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Guatemala Jose Falla Aris (Guatemala) Guatemala (withdrawn)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

Procedure

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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

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Vote 1

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Candidates General Assembly [3]
majority = 26
Security Council [4]
majority = 6
Brazil Hildebrando Pompeu Pinto Accioli withdrew
Uruguay Eduardo Blanco Acevedo 6 1
Iran Mostafa Adl 13 1
Iraq Nasrat al-Farisi Nasrat al-Farisi [ar] 2 0
Syria Fares al-Khoury 2 0
Spain Rafael Altamira 9 1
Chile Alejandro Álvarez 31 7
Costa Rica Luis Anderson [es] 9 1
Brazil Philadelpho Azevedo 31 9
Egypt Abdel Hamid Badawi Pasha 30 10
Australia Kenneth Hamilton Bailey 18 6
Ecuador Alfredo Baquerizo Moreno 0 0
France Jules Basdevant 39 10
Costa Rica Octavio Béeche Argüello [es] 1 0
Turkey Cemil Bilsel 6 0
United Kingdom James Leslie Brierly 0 0
Cuba Antonio Sánchez de Bustamante y Sirven 6 0
Honduras Julián Ríos Cáceres [es] 9 0
Lebanon Choucri Cardahi [fr] 0 0
Haiti Victor Cauvin 2 0
China Cheng Tien-Hsi withdrew
Chile Miguel Cruchaga Tocornal 0 0
Iran Ahmad Matin-Daftari 0 0
South Africa Reginald Percy Basil Davis 8 1
Philippines Francisco Delgado 13 0
Bolivia Eduardo Díez de Medina 0 0
Mexico Isidro Fabela Alfaro 33 8
Czechoslovakia Vladimír Fajnor [sk] 1 0
Guatemala Jose Falla Aris withdrew
United States Charles Fenwick 0 0
Philippines Manuel Gallego 0 0
Peru Arturo García Salazar [es] 0 0
El Salvador Jose Gustavo Guerrero 34 6
United States Green Hackworth 32 8
South Africa Francois Petrus van den Heever 1 0
China Hsu Mo 41 11
United States Manley Hudson 10 1
United Kingdom Cecil Hurst 2 0
Iraq Salih Jabr withdrew
Philippines Mariano Honrade de Joya 2 1
Norway Helge Klæstad 21 6
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mihailo Konstantinović [sr] 4 0
Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Vladimir Mikhailovich Koretsky [ru] [ukr] [de] 0 0
Czechoslovakia Jan Krčmář [cz] 3 0
Soviet Union Sergei Borisovich Krylov 34 11
Poland Jerzy Langrod [pl] 2 0
Haiti Abel Leger 5 0
Dominican Republic Arturo Logroño [es] 0 0
Honduras Julián López Pineda [de] 0 0
Colombia Carlos Lozano y Lozano 15 2
United Kingdom Arnold McNair 34 10
Greece George Maridakis [gr] 1 0
Uruguay Martín C. Martínez 1 0
New Zealand Michael Myers 4 1
Venezuela Caracciolo Parra Pérez [es] 14 1
Soviet Union Ivan Sergeyevich Peretersky [ru] 1 0
Venezuela Néstor Luis Pérez [es] 1 2
Italy Massimo Pilotti 0 1
Argentina Luis Podestá Costa [es] 30 5
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic Nikolai Nikolayevich Polyansky [ru] 1 0
Guatemala Miguel Prado Solares withdrew
Canada John Erskine Read 27 8
Bolivia Julio Salmón 0 0
Turkey Muammer Raşit Seviğ [tr] 1 0
Greece Jean Spiropoulos 18 4
Cuba Cosme de la Torriente 2 0
Dominican Republic Manuel de Jesus Troncoso de la Concha 0 0
Bolivia José Macedonio Urquidi [es] 1 0
Colombia Francisco José Urrutia 0 0
Paraguay Celso Ramon Velázquez [es] 1 0
Netherlands Jan Hendrik Willem Verzijl [nl] 8 5
Peru Manuel Vicente Villarán [es] 0 0
Belgium Charles de Visscher 40 9
Poland Bohdan Winiarski 19 5
India Muhammad Zafarullah Khan 27 4
Nicaragua Maximo Zepeda 6 0
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Milovan Zoričić 26 8
Egypt Youssef Zulficar Pasha 0 0

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

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(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
Iran Mostafa Adl 0 1 1 1 0 0
Australia Kenneth Hamilton Bailey 15 15 12 3 1 1
Turkey Cemil Bilsel 2 0 0 0 0 0
Honduras Julián Ríos Cáceres [es] 1 2 0 0 0 0
Philippines Francisco Delgado 2 4 1 0 0 0
Peru Arturo García Salazar [es] 1 0 0 0 0 0
United States Manley Hudson 0 0 0 1 0 0
Norway Helge Klæstad 16 30 - 5 8 -
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mihailo Konstantinović [sr] 0 0 1 0 0 0
Poland Jerzy Langrod [pl] 1 0 0 0 0 0
Colombia Carlos Lozano y Lozano 1 0 0 0 0 0
Argentina Luis Podestá Costa [es] 4 3 1 0 0 0
Greece Jean Spiropoulos 10 3 0 1 0 0
Netherlands Jan Hendrik Willem Verzijl [nl] 11 8 0 3 1 2
Poland Bohdan Winiarski 18 24 26 7 - 8
India Muhammad Zafarullah Khan 15 11 7 2 1 0

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 declated 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

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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:

Judge Term starts /
renewed
Term ends
Egypt Abdel Hamid Badawi Pasha 1946 1949
China Hsu Mo 1946 1949
Canada John Read 1946 1949
Poland Bohdan Winiarski 1946 1949
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Milovan Zoričić 1946 1949
Mexico Isidro Fabela Alfaro 1946 1952
United States Green Hackworth 1946 1952
Norway Helge Klæstad 1946 1952
Soviet Union Sergei Krylov 1946 1952
Belgium Charles de Visscher 1946 1952
Chile Alejandro Álvarez 1946 1955
Brazil Philadelpho Azevedo 1946 1955
France Jules Basdevant 1946 1955
El Salvador Jose Gustavo Guerrero 1946 1955
United Kingdom Arnold McNair 1946 1955

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

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  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. ^ a b 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.