The blindfold has come off the iconic statue of the Lady Justice and the new statue now holds the Indian Constitution instead of a sword. The changes in the statue, long associated with the judiciary and legal institutions, have been made in order to shed the colonial past and traditional attributes.
The traditional statue of Lady Justice depicted a blindfold and a sword in her hand. However, the statue holds the Indian Constitution instead of the sword.
The new statue of the Lady Justice was unveiled in the judge's library of the Supreme Court, according to All India Radio.
"Lady Justice in SC library now holds a Constitution with open eyes. 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," All India Radio said in a post on X.
However, according to a report in ABP News, the statue of Lady Justice was unveiled few months ago by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud. A senior SC official said that the statue is not new and was installed in the judges' library in April 2023.
The new statue sends a message that justice is not blind but functions based on the Constitution. However, it remains unclear whether more such statues will be installed in the future.
The new statue in the judges' library stands as a symbol of the judiciary’s commitment to this modern perspective. The official said that one of the reasons behind placing the statue in the library is to promote study and research.
The statue has stood as a symbol for upholding justice across many courts around the world. The blindfold traditionally represented equality before the law and the idea that courts should be blind to wealth, power, or status.