Bar Association irked over SC’s new Lady Justice statue without blindfold

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) had passed a resolution opposing recent changes made to the Supreme Court’s emblem and the statue of ‘Lady Justice’ without prior consultation with its members.

The SCBA voiced concerns about the installation of a museum in the former Judges’ Library, despite its request for a library and a cafe-cum-lounge for the bar members, citing that the existing cafeteria is insufficient. “We are concerned that desThe Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) had passed a resolution opposing recent changes made to the Supreme Court’s emblem and the statue of ‘Lady Justice’ without prior consultation with its members.pite our objections, work has begun on the museum in the erstwhile Judges’ Library,” the resolution stated.

One of the key changes that had drawn attention is the new statue of Lady Justice at the Supreme Court, which no longer wears a blindfold. Traditionally, Lady Justice has been depicted with a blindfold, symbolising impartiality. In this new representation, Lady Justice’s eyes are open, and the sword in one hand has been replaced by the Constitution, reflecting the belief that law in India is neither blind nor punitive.

The SCBA criticised these changes, stating, “We are equal stakeholders in the administration of justice, but these changes were never brought to our attention. We are clueless about the rationale behind these changes.” The association views the changes as a move to shed colonial symbols while emphasising that law in India is not blind, reflecting the principles of justice in a new India. The new statue now stands at the former Judges’ Library in the Supreme Court.