Blindfold & sword gone, new Lady Justice statue unveiled in Supreme Court

In an initiative shedding the colonial imprint and traditional attributes, the statue of Lady Justice, in the judges’ library of the Supreme Court, now holds a copy of the Indian Constitution, instead of a sword, and the blindfold has come off to leave her with open eyes.

The change, effected under Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, now signals that the “law in the country is not blind and does not merely symbolise punishment”. Traditionally, the blindfold suggested equality before the law, meaning that the dispensation of justice should not be influenced by the status, wealth or power of the parties. The sword historically symbolised authority and the capacity to punish injustice.

In a departure from colonial influences, like the replacement of the colonial-era penal code with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the new Lady Justice signifies that the law in the country sees everyone equally as mandated under the Constitution. The might of the Constitution, not of the sword, prevails in the justice delivery process. However, the scales of justice in the right hand of Lady Justice have been retained, symbolising a societal balance and the significance of careful consideration of facts and arguments from both sides before arriving at a verdict.

Last month, President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the new flag and insignia of the Supreme Court to commemorate the 75th year of its establishment. Under CJI Chandrachud’s tenure, the SC began live-streaming proceedings of the Constitution Bench on YouTube and used artificial intelligence and natural language processing technology for live transcription of such hearings of national importance. The judicial hearings in the NEET-UG matter and RG Kar Medical College and Hospital suo moto case garnered huge public views.

Shedding colonial past

• Blindfold traditionally suggested equality before the law, but the Lady Justice statue has open eyes
• The sword, which symbolised authority, has been replaced with a copy of the Constitution
• Scales of justice retained, symbolising a societal balance and the significance of careful consideration of facts