New Delhi: The new Lady Justice statue in the Supreme Court has shed its blindfold. The statue has now the Constitution in one hand instead of the sword. It now symbolises that the law in the country is neither blind nor punitive.
The statue was commissioned at the orders of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, according to a NDTV report. Traditionally, the Lady of Justice has been portrayed with her eyes blindfolded. But, the new statue has eyes open, spreading the message that the law is not blind.
What did the old statue mean?
Since the British era, the Lady of Justice has been depicted as a woman wearing a blindfold and holding scales and a sword. The blindfold is a symbol to represent equality before law. It implies that justice should be delivered, regardless to wealth, power or status. The scales symbolize balance and fairness. The sword represents the power of the law. But, the new statue attempts to leave the colonial legacy behind. It is now placed at the judges’ library in the Supreme Court.
Know why the sword has been replaced
“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,” said a source while quoting the CJI, according to a New Indian Express report. The sword is a symbol of violence but the courts deliver justice according to constitutional laws.
