Retired Justice Madan B. Lokur appointed UN Internal Justice Council Chairperson

By R Anil Kumar

• Justice Madan B. Lokur has been appointed for a 4-year-tenure ending on November 12, 2028.

• A letter dated December 19, 2024, signed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, states: “Dear Justice Lokur, I have the pleasure to appoint you, with immediate effect, as a member of the Internal Justice Council, in the capacity of chairperson, for a term ending on 12 November 2028.”

UNITED NATIONS, December 22. The United Nations (UN) has appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur as the chairperson of the Internal Justice Council (IJC).

Lokur has been appointed for a 4-year-tenure ending on November 12, 2028.

“I have the pleasure to appoint you, with immediate effect, as a member of the Internal Justice Council, in the capacity of Chairperson, for a term ending on 12 November 2028,” the letter addressed to Lokur by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said.

The appointment is till November 12, 2028. In a letter addressed to Justice Lokur, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his congratulations on the appointment to the Council, which was termed as a “key pillar of the administration of justice at the United Nations.”

The other members are Carmen Artigas (Uruguay), a distinguished external jurist nominated by staff; Rosalie Balkin (Australia), a distinguished external jurist nominated by management; Stefan Brezina (Austria), a staff representative; and Jay Pozenel (United States of America), a management representative.

The General Assembly of UN established the Internal Justice Council (IJC) as part of the new internal justice system in order to help ensure independence, professionalism and accountability in the administration of justice system of the United Nations.

The IJC is composed of five members consisting of a staff representative, a management representative and two distinguished external jurists, one nominated by the staff and one by management, and chaired by a distinguished jurist chosen by consensus by the four other members. The IJC members are appointed by the Secretary General.

The General Assembly has also tasked the IJC to undertake the search for suitable candidates for the positions of judges when there is a vacancy on the United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT) and United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT).

Justice Madan Lokur retired as a judge of the Supreme Court on December 31, 2018, after a tenure of more than 6 years.

He started his law practice in July 1977 and practiced before the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. He became an Advocate-on-Record at the Supreme Court of India in 1981 and was designated Senior Advocate in 1997.

He was appointed an Additional Solicitor General in 1998 and continued in that post till he was appointed an additional judge of the Delhi High Court in February 1999.

He was made a permanent judge in July 1999. Subsequently, he became the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and then the Andhra Pradesh High Court, before his elevation to the apex court.

In May 2019, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Fiji’s non-resident panel for three years. The same was extended by another 3 years in 2022.

Justice Lokur received the appointment letter on December 31, 2018, the day he retired from the Supreme Court.

Justice Lokur enrolled as an advocate in July 1977 and practised in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. He became an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court in 1981 and was designated Senior Advocate in 1997. He was appointed Additional Solicitor General in 1998 and continued in that post till he was appointed an Additional Judge of the Delhi High Court in February 1999.

Justice Madan B Lokur spearheaded the e-Courts app while he was a Judge of the Supreme Court