The new Lady Justice statue in the Supreme Court has shed its blindfold, with the Constitution now replacing the sword in one hand, symbolising that the law in India is neither blind nor punitive. According to an NDTV report, the statue was commissioned at the orders of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud.
While the Lady Justice has traditionally been depicted with its eyes blindfolded, the new statue has eyes open to spread the message that the law is not blind.
Before this, the Lady Justice was commonly depicted as a woman wearing a blindfold while holding scales and a sword. The blindfold was meant to represent equality before law, implying that justice should be delivered without regard to wealth, power or status.
The scales represented balance and fairness, while the sword was meant to represent the power of the law.
However, the new statue is being seen as an attempt to leave the colonial legacy behind while underlining the message that the law is not blind in new India. It now stands tall at the judges' library in the Supreme Court.
As per top sources associated with the Chief Justice's office, quoted by NDTV, Justice Chandrachud believes that the law is not blind and everyone is equal before it.
"Therefore, the Chief Justice said that the form of the Lady Justice should be changed. He said the statue should have the Constitution in one hand and not a sword, so that a message goes out to the country that she dispenses justice according to the Constitution. The sword is a symbol of violence but courts deliver justice according to constitutional laws," a source told the publication.
However, the symbol of the scales has been retained in the new statue to emphasise that the courts weigh both sides of an argument before delivering a judgement.
Source: Hindustan Times