Retired Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul has been appointed to the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC) by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. He is one of nine members selected to enhance Bahrain’s investment appeal. The BICC aims to resolve international commercial disputes, with Jan Paulsson as President and Sir Christopher Greenwood as Vice President.
New Delhi: Retired Supreme Court judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul has been appointed as a member of the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC) by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Justice Kaul is among nine distinguished members selected for the newly established BICC, which aims to enhance Bahrain’s appeal as a destination for private sector investment.
The BICC is part of Bahrain’s “Team Bahrain” initiative, providing a dedicated forum for resolving international commercial disputes and handling arbitration-related matters. The court will exercise exclusive jurisdiction over such cases in Bahrain. Notably, leading arbitrator Jan Paulsson has been appointed as BICC President, with former British judge Sir Christopher Greenwood serving as Vice President.
Justice Kaul retired from the Supreme Court of India on December 25, 2023, after an illustrious tenure of over six years. He contributed to landmark rulings, including his concurring opinion in the 2017 nine-judge bench case that established the right to privacy as a fundamental right.
In December 2023, Justice Kaul played a key role in a seven-judge bench ruling validating the use of an unstamped arbitration agreement. The court emphasized that procedural defects, like unpaid stamp duty, could be rectified later, reinforcing the Indian Arbitration Act’s aim of ensuring “speedy and efficient resolution” of disputes.
Justice Kaul also authored critical judgments, such as rejecting the Centre’s curative petition for enhanced compensation for Bhopal gas tragedy victims and upholding the Bar Council of India’s authority to conduct the All India Bar Examination.
Justice Kaul began his legal career in 1982, rising to prominence as a senior advocate in 1999. His judicial journey commenced in 2001 as a judge of the Delhi High Court. Over the years, he held significant positions, including Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court and later the Madras High Court, before his appointment to the Supreme Court in February 2017.
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