INTRODUCTION
The familiar ‘Lady Justice statue, long associated with courts and legal institutions, has been redesigned by the Supreme Court of India to move away from its colonial legacy, on the directions of the then Chief Justice of India, Justice DY Chandrachud. The unveiling of the Lady Justice statue (hereinafter referred to as the “statue”), a replacement for the traditional statue in India, has generated a lot of debate based on its symbolism and implications of alienating vast numbers of people. That is to say, this statue clad in a saree, bindi, and crown has been the object of criticism for representing the image of a specific Religion’s woman. This representation is not rich enough in terms of the multiplicity of cultural, regional, and caste identities present in India and thus ends up marginalizing communities, such as Dalits, Tribals, and religious minorities. The design of the statue raises the question of how the pluralism of India can be actualized as a symbol of justice. This blog will delve into the Symbolism, Inclusivity, and Cultural Representation of the Statue, examining both the positive and negative aspects.
CULTURAL REPRESENTATION AND THE RISK OF EXCLUSIVITY
The primary objective of the statue is to create a culturally rooted symbol of justice, which will be meaningful for the Indian people. This work, nonetheless, has to contend with the difficult reality of India’s heterogeneity, in which no single frame is capable of enshrining the rich cultural and social identities of its inhabitants. The character of the statue—such as the clothes, the bindi, and the crown—is indicative of a specific religion’s identities and, as a consequence, excludes the majority of the population who do not want to be associated with these marks. For instance, Dalits, tribals, and other religious minorities may experience themselves as being left out of this depiction of a specific religious woman. Moreover, what is worn by the statue as regalia suggests a link to monarchy, which controversially opposes the modern Indian democratic republic mindset. In a country that has repudiated the core values of monarchical practices, these royal emblems can still spark memories of hierarchical power systems, prompting arguments that the statue may inadvertently perpetuate social hierarchies instead of upholding equality.
THE BLINDFOLD AND SYMBOLISM OF EQUALITY
The blindfold, a key symbol in the old imagery of Lady Justice, denotes impartiality—justice dispensed regardless of the person’s social standing, wealth, power, caste, and so on. In this process, the tradition of blindfolding the statue has been depreciated, and this has created a lot of debate. Justice Chandrachud has also stated, “The law is not unaware; it is seeing the same,” pointing out that in the quest for justice, the disparity must be acknowledged if it is to be effectively dealt with. Does this mean that the law was unaware cause the statute was blindfolded? A secular critic is worried that removing the blindfold may suggest that caste, economic conditions, or a matter of identity should be taken into account at the time of making a judicial decision, which is likely to result in the erosion of the concept of universal justice. The problem is that this change can induce a spurious conclusion among the community that the law is not mindful of social inequalities, even rejecting the idea of equality before the law.
SWORD AND CONSTITUTION: A SHIFT IN JUSTICE’S SYMBOLISM
In traditional depictions, Lady Justice carries a sword, representing the power of the law to inflict punishment on offenders. However, instead of a sword, a constitutional symbol – the Constitution of India, is placed on the statue. This version is a marker of a shift towards granting democratic values and human rights their proper place in the legal and judicial structures of India. The transfer may be construed as a reformative one, and therein it points to considerations of fairness, equity, and non-judgment, as opposed to retributive associations with the sword. However, it is also evident that the incorporation of the Constitution as an embodiment of justice may, at the same time, be limited to the reformative potential of justice, particularly concerning practices (such as capital punishment) that continue to be part of the Indian legal system for the most serious offences.
THE ATTIRE OF LADY JUSTICE: A CULTURAL DEBATE
Another important change in the design of the statue is the attire, more specifically a saree, which is also typically taken to represent traditional Indians. This may be seen as an attempt to “decolonize” the concept of justice by departing from the stereotypically “Western” image of Lady Justice in a wig. The saree is an emblematic garment of Indian culture and is suggestive of the diversity of Indian women and their traditions on the Indian subcontinent. However, the introduction of jewellery, a bindi, and a crown, which are recognized as representations of Hindu religious iconography, has been contentious. In India’s secular model, with a rich and varied mix of religion and cultural practices, such images could be considered exclusionary. Linking the statue to a particular version of Hindu identity implicitly undermines the secular principles enshrined in the Indian Constitution. This could alienate those who do not identify with this religious or cultural imagery.
THE CROWN AND ITS SYMBOLISM
The halo of the statue lends a third dimension and a layer of controversy and symbolism. In the past, the crown has been associated with royalty and kingly power, which is very irrelevant now in the Indian context, where India has turned into a republic state. India has long rejected the very idea of monarchical traditions, so there is an inherent antithesis in the use of the crown, which is associated with India’s democratic commitment. As regards appearance, the termination of the sculpture by the crown is perceived by everyone as a regressive process, making people give rein to the legacy of past, hierarchical systems of power founded on the ideology of privilege and injustice about monarchy. Hence, this symbol has a latent ability to trigger memories of a system that operated contrary to the ideals of equality and democracy enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
Furthermore, the propriety of attaching the diadem to the statue is disputed, in that the fact that the diadem is attached to the statue is exploited to unintentionally exacerbate social hierarchy, particularly the caste, class, and power hierarchy. A third one, in a country actively aiming for social justice and equality, can be read as support for a power hierarchy that excludes disadvantaged groups. Though the crown and the finery of the statue itself refer to the upper class, the statue may unintentionally exclude Dalits, Tribals, and religious minorities, for whom the representation of justice embodied in a statue is thought to be historical to the lineage of royalty.
CONCLUSION:
The statue of Lady Justice is a powerful image of justice in the spirit of fair dress, equality of treatment, and impartiality. In the context of India, this statue represents an ongoing attempt to reimagine the concept of justice in a country that is both diverse and rapidly evolving. As India still flourishes and spreads in various social, national, and political directions, its symbols of justice indeed should adapt to those values, which are the very basis of the Indian Constitution. These principles are represented by, for example, the principle of equality before the law, the principle of the right to a fair trial, and the commitment to democracy.
Although the design of the statue of Lady Justice may be seen as embodying these noble aspirations, the true test is how justice is dispensed. The practical implementation of justice in India can, at times, be much more complex than prescribed by law. Although the country’s legal system has democratic roots, the legal system may find itself battling issues such as judicial delay, dissemination of legal information, and legal representation, as well as instances of corruption and/or prejudice. These issues draw attention to the disparity between an idealized conception of justice and its lived reality on the ground.
Thus, the statue, beautiful as it is, is just one aspect of the Indian justice system. The real gauge of justice in India is not in the words we invent but in the power of law upon all citizens. The task of legal and judicial systems is critical for guaranteeing the principles of equality, fairness, and democracy in reality. Only then can the ideals they so aptly represent, embodied by Lady Justice, be realized in reality, ensuring that justice is not merely an idea, but a real thing for everyone living in the country.
Authors Name : Vanathi K & Vaishnavee S (Chennai Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, Pudhupakkam & Chennai Dr Ambedkar Government Law College, Pudhupakkam)
