The Supreme Court of India has commissioned an innovative renovated ‘Lady Justice’ statue as a symbol to introduce a new judicial philosophy and identity. While the figure that outshines the traditional blindfolded justice wielding a sword with the new Lady Justice is dressed in a sari, she shall have one hand holding the Indian Constitution and retaining the scales in the other but her eyes will be open.
It was designed by Vinod Goswami, a Murals and Art Teacher for Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. It says “Law is not blind; it sees everyone equally.”
Evolutionary History of ‘Lady Justice’:
The figure today known in Western mythology as Lady Justice traces her origin from Roman mythology, where she is personified as Justitia, the Goddess of Justice, holding scales and sword. Later and in the Renaissance, blindfold use was applied with criticism of judicial corruption but developed in the Enlightenment period to signify impartiality. Like that in Greek mythology, with Themis, the Titaness of divine law and order, who is also figured carrying scales, but not a blindfold, her icon represented reason and discrimination rather than neutrality.
This came with the British and its system of law came with then the Lady Justice iconography: the statues and carvings adorn many of these colonial courts. The two that stand out, however are the Calcutta and Bombay High Courts whose examples vary in that some have their eyes closed while other opens their eyes.
The New Lady Justice: Breaking with Tradition
This new statue in the Indian Supreme Court heralds conscious change within the Indian judiciary, because this system of justice delivery is well anchored deep into the Constitution and into Indian cultural values.
Let’s have a look at which important points it diverges from the existing system:
1. The Sari: Of the Indian Identity:
The sari-clad figure emerged from the class Western imagery to associate Lady Justice with the vast heritages of India. This again is a presentation of the open gate that the judiciary has strived to present the myriad identities within this country.
2. The Constitution: Superseding the Sword:
As the sword of hangman was superseded by the Indian Constitution, the judiciary itself was concerned not to be punitive but fair, respect rights and uphold the rule of law, greater than punishment; it reflects a high principle that justice has constitutional values and democratic ideals rather than colonial legacies or power-based retributivism.
3. Open Eyes: Knowledge Over Blindness:
The blindfold removed from the eyes symbolizes knowledge and perception that the judiciary possesses in dispensing justice. Open eyes represent an advanced knowledge about social complexities, which is then followed by recognition of the difference that brings justice equitably to the people.
4. Scales: Sustaining Equality Alive:
The scales live. Here a famous adage is continued: the principle of balance of justice, wherein each one gets a fair chance to be heard before the jurisdiction is passed.
New Statue Significance
Above all this new Lady Justice gives Indian Significance in the sense that:
Freedom of judiciary from the burden of colonial history:
Removal of veil and sword, the judiciary unbids itself from the symbols of punitive justice from the colonial era and emphasizes constitutional supremacy and inclusivity.
Sermons of fair and just treatment:
Open eyes reflect commitment to contextual justice because every case is dealt with care and caution for its very situation.
Cultural Significance:
The adoption of the usage of a sari as in the attempt to encapsulate Indian culture will also make the figure more amiable and subscribe to the Indian post-independence identity, thereby strengthening belief in the judicial system.
Revitalization of Constitutional Values:
The adoption of the Constitution represents the role of the judiciary as the defender of democracy, equality, and fundamental rights.
Conclusion
The unveiling of the new Lady Justice statue represents something much more than a symbolic act within the aspired judiciary. It, however, portrays a step towards equal, equitable, and constitutionally committed judiciary. The lady in sari embracing the Constitution represents a legal system that tries to give democratic values a cultural identity. The redefined lady justice, therefore, calls for redefining the role of the nation in the judiciary-that is, from that of an enforcer of law to a protector of rights, fair equilibrium watchman, and the hope of the people it serves.
Indeed, as Chief Justice Chandrachud well said, “Law sees everyone equally.” That great reminding of the open-eyed Lady Justice could never allow the legal system to stagnate in its relentless pursuit of justice for all. Prime Legal, a leading law firm in Bangalore, stands aligned with these principles, striving to uphold justice, equality, and the protection of rights in every legal endeavor.
