The blindfold has been removed from a new Lady of Justice statue at the Supreme Court, with the Constitution replacing the sword in one hand. This change conveys that the law is not blind in this country and does not merely symbolise punishment.
The blindfold was meant to symbolise equality before the law, indicating that courts do not account for wealth, power, or other status indicators of those who appear before them. In contrast, the sword represented authority and the ability to punish injustice.
The new statue in the Supreme Court’s judges’ library, commissioned by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, has the eyes open and the sword replaced by the Constitution in its left hand in a move that is also being seen as an attempt to leave the colonial legacy behind, paralleling the replacement of colonial-era criminal laws, such as the Indian Penal Code, with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
According to sources close to the Chief Justice’s office, Justice Chandrachud believes India should move beyond its British legacy, emphasizing that the law is not blind but treats everyone equally.
“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,” a source said.
The source added, that the scales of justice in the right hand have been retained, as they symbolize balance in society and the court’s consideration of facts and arguments from both sides before reaching a conclusion.