New Delhi: A new statue of Lady of Justice has replaced the old statue in the Supreme Court in which the blindfold on the Lady of Justice has been removed and the sword in its left hand has been replaced by a copy of the Constitution.
The new statue of the Lady of Justice has the blindfold removed and replaced with open eyes and Constitution in its left hand, replacing the sword. Scales of justice in the right hand have been retained in the new statue as they represent balance in society.
Blindfold in the earlier statue represented equality before the law
The blindfold in the earlier statue represented equality before the law, implying that that all who appear before a court are equal irrespective of wealth, power, or other status, while the sword symbolised authority and the power to punish injustice.
New statue has been kept in Supreme Court library
According to a report in NDTV, the new statue, which has been kept in the library of the Supreme Court, has been commissioned at the instruction of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud. The report said that the move to replace the old statue is being seen as an attempt to leave the colonial legacy behind, just on the lines of the replacement of British-era criminal laws with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Top sources associated with the office of the Chief Justice of India told NDTV that CJI Chandrachud believes that India should move forward from the British legacy and that the law sees everyone equally and never blind.
“Therefore, the Chief Justice said that the form of the Lady of 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,” NDTV quoted a source saying.
