Former Delhi High Court judge Justice S. Muralidhar, now chairing a UN inquiry commission, has drawn international attention after a report alleged Israeli forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children and committed acts amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
NEW DELHI – Former Delhi High Court judge Justice S. Muralidhar, whose overnight transfer in 2020 sparked a nationwide debate on judicial independence, has once again drawn international attention after chairing a United Nations commission that issued a strongly worded report on Israel’s military actions in the Palestinian territories.
Justice Muralidhar currently serves as Chairperson of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry. The commission recently released a report alleging that Israeli security forces committed serious violations against Palestinian civilians, particularly children, during military operations in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories.
According to the commission, at least 20,917 Palestinian children were killed over a two-year period, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the total Palestinian deaths recorded during the conflict. The report concluded that Israel’s military campaign and related policies amounted to genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The commission report said that Israeli forces followed a pattern of attacks affecting children, including the reported use of snipers and drone strikes against minors. It also accused Israel of imposing conditions that resulted in widespread starvation through blockades and restrictions on essential supplies.
The report further examined attacks on civilian infrastructure, particularly neonatal and maternity facilities, alleging that these had long-term consequences for Palestinian society. Investigators also documented allegations of sexual violence against children and arbitrary detention in the occupied West Bank.
According to the commission, the evidence gathered during its investigation pointed to what it described as an “intent to destroy” Palestinian society.
Israel has strongly rejected the findings.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the report as “false” and “incendiary propaganda”, denying the allegations and criticising the commission’s conclusions. The commission, however, maintained that its findings were based on extensive evidence collected during the investigation.
Justice Muralidhar’s latest international role has also renewed attention to events surrounding the 2020 Delhi riots.
At the time, he was serving as a judge of the Delhi High Court. During the violence, he held an unusual late-night hearing at his residence to facilitate the safe transfer of injured victims to hospitals.
The following day, while hearing petitions related to the riots, he questioned the Delhi Police over its failure to register FIRs concerning alleged hate speeches by political leaders.
During the proceedings, Justice Muralidhar remarked: “We cannot allow another 1984 to happen in this city under our watch.”
Within hours of the hearing, the Union Government issued a notification transferring him from the Delhi High Court to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Although the transfer had earlier been recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium, its timing triggered widespread criticism from sections of the legal fraternity.
The Delhi High Court Bar Association held a rare strike, and many lawyers described the move as punitive.
The transfer became one of the most discussed judicial controversies of recent years and fuelled debate about the independence of the judiciary.
Justice Muralidhar later served as Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court before retiring in August 2023.
In September 2022, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended his transfer to the Madras High Court. The recommendation remained pending for several months before being withdrawn in April 2023.
Following his retirement, members of the Orissa High Court Bar bid him farewell by forming a long line from the courtroom to the street, an uncommon gesture reflecting the respect he commanded within the legal community.
Justice Muralidhar now works from Geneva as Chairperson of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry, a permanent investigative mechanism established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2021.
The commission is mandated to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and to submit periodic reports to UN bodies.
Its latest report has placed Justice Muralidhar at the centre of an international debate over accountability, international law and the humanitarian consequences of the conflict in Gaza, while also renewing attention to a judicial career marked by several high-profile and closely watched decisions.
