India's Uma Sekhar elected to governing council of UNIDROIT

In a historic decision, Uma Sekhar, India’s first woman candidate, was elected on Thursday in the Governing Council of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT). It is noteworthy that all 25 positions on the Governing Council are occupied by distinguished legal experts. Reports indicate that candidates from Russia, USA, and China were unsuccessful in their bids for positions on the council. The election featured a total of 32 contestants, hailing from countries such as the USA, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, France, among others. Uma Sekhar clinched her seat on the Governing Council with an impressive 45 out of 59 votes in the first round of the elections held in Italy’s Rome. According to ANI report, in order to be elected to the Governing Council, 21 votes were required. India will be a member of the Governing Council for the period 2024-28, it added. Following the election of India to the governing council of UNIDROIT, the Embassy of India in Rome said that it is a privilege to be a part of organisation’s policy making process. “Delighted to announce that India got elected to UNIDROIT Governing Council today in a fiercely contested election. Privileged to be part of the organisation’s policy making process. India also successfully completes its tenure as President of the GA for the year 2022-23. @MEAIndia” the Indian Embassy in Rome wrote on X (formerly Twitter). The International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) is an independent intergovernmental Organisation with its seat in Rome, Italy. Its purpose is to study needs and methods for modernising, harmonising and co-ordinating private and in particular commercial law as between States and groups of States and to formulate uniform law instruments, principles and rules to achieve those objectives. With inputs from ANI