The scales of justice have finally tilted in favour of a bold symbolic statement that reflects how the judiciary views justice in a modern India finally freed of the colonial hangover. “The law is not blind; it sees everyone equally “Chief Justice of India, Justice Chandrachud’s words during the unveiling, echo a welcome shift from the past. Titles like “Andha Kanoon” (blind justice) from Bollywood and those from regional language films will hopefully now be a thing of the past. The newly unveiled statue of the Lady of Justice at the Supreme Court with the blindfold gone and the sword in the old image replaced by the Constitution has however sparked a debate from within, as it hasn’t gone down well with the Supreme Court Bar Association (SBCA). The objection seems to be a miffed reaction from a stakeholder not being consulted and not entirely based on the changes it reflects according to some judicial luminaries. While the former blindfold signified impartiality, the new image is said to be guided by awareness and vision which is a uniquely Indian representation of justice. The statue which stands proudly at the judge’s library in the Supreme Court is indicative of a new identity of justice with the lady’s eyes wide open and not impervious to the goings on all around us. The constitution in the hand of the “Lady of Justice” represents the upholding of rights, equality and fairness mentioned in the constitution and accords them greater value than retribution. It comes in the wake of the introduction of changes like the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) to replace the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the recent past which seek to usher in much more for justice than cosmetic and symbolic changes.

Symbolism is welcome as long as it is followed by action. It is hoped that the lady can now clearly see how long it takes for justice to be delivered in this country, especially for the common man who has no clout whatsoever in the system. The lofty values that led to this symbolic change can only become meaningful when it leads to speedy justice that has been evading citizens for several decades. The recent increase in judges has had a limited impact on the backlog of cases which now stands at a record high of 83,000 cases in the Supreme Court and is an eightfold increase in the past decade. In 2024 the total number of cases (civil and criminal) in the various courts including the high courts and district courts stands at a staggering 51 million or 5.1 crores. There are also 180,000 court cases pending for more than 30 years in district and high courts according to reports in the media. With the largest number of pending cases in the world, pendency remains one of the biggest challenges before the judiciary. Delays in the delivery of justice make things difficult for both the victims and the accused with a delayed victory offering no solace in most cases. Matters of court cases take so long that many petitioners do not get justice during their lifetime. Of what use is the delayed judgment if one is not alive to reap the benefit through clearing one’s name or other matters? Shortage of judges, lack of infrastructure and high cost of maintenance are definitely a hindrance but systemic problems will have to be overcome to make the judiciary and the justice delivery system work to the advantage of all. The lady with the new vision envisioned by the judiciary needs to know that everything has an expiry date and so do judgments that are delayed indefinitely.