SC Bar Association opposes new statue of 'lady justice'

The unveiling of the new Lady Justice statue at the Supreme Court has sparked controversy, with the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) passing a resolution condemning the changes made without consulting them. The statue, which features Lady Justice without her traditional blindfold and holding the Constitution of India instead of a sword, has been at the center of a heated debate.

In a resolution passed on Tuesday, the SCBA, led by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, expressed strong opposition to the alterations made to the court’s emblem and the new statue. The bar association emphasized that as equal stakeholders in the administration of justice, they should have been consulted before such a “radical” shift in symbolism was implemented. The SCBA further claimed they were “clueless on the rationale” behind these changes.

The new Lady Justice statue was unveiled last year by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, who described the modifications as an effort to move away from the colonial imagery that traditionally portrayed Lady Justice as blindfolded, symbolizing impartiality. The open-eyed figure is meant to signify that justice is not blind but rather sees everyone equally, with the Constitution replacing the sword, which traditionally symbolized punishment.

While the statue was intended to represent a more modern vision of justice, the SCBA's resolution describes the change as unilateral and radical, criticizing the lack of consultation with the bar association. “We are equal stakeholders in the administration of justice but these changes were never brought to our attention,” the SCBA said. “The bar ought to have been consulted, and we are opposed to these changes being done without our input.”

The row has taken on a political dimension as well. Sanjay Raut, Rajya Sabha MP and leader of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), termed the changes as “BJP-RSS propaganda.” He questioned the need for removing Lady Justice’s blindfold, suggesting that it reflects a desire to “openly see corruption” and accused the ruling government of undermining the Constitution itself. “The court’s job is to protect the Constitution and deliver justice according to it. What are they trying to prove by replacing the sword with the Constitution?” Raut asked, further inflaming the controversy.

In addition to the statue, the SCBA also raised objections to the conversion of the Judges Library into a museum, which they say was done without adequate consultation. The bar association is pushing for the space to be used for a library and café-cum-lounge for its members, rather than being repurposed as a museum in a high-security zone.