The Supreme Court on September 30, 2022 dismissed a plea that the lions sculpted atop the new Parliament building looked "ferocious and aggressive", saying such an impression is entirely subjective and depends on the mind of the onlooker.
A Bench led by Justice M.R. Shah said the sculpture did not violate the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act, 2005.
Advocates Aldanish Rein and Ramesh Kumar Mishra contended the new emblem interfered with the description and design of the State Emblem in the Schedule of the 2005 Act.
"The State Emblem of India is a mark of identity of the Republic of India. The Republic of India belongs to the people of India, we the Indians. When this identity is unduly interfered with by the government, it hurts the national sentiment of its citizens," the petition said.
They argued that the lions in Sarnath, from which the State Emblem was adopted, were "calm and composed". They were not merely a design, but represented the core spiritual philosophies of Lord Buddha.
"It cannot be said that any of the provisions of Act 2005 are violated. The State Emblem of India installed in the Central Vista project, New Delhi, cannot be said to be in violation of the Act 2005 at the least. Writ petition is dismissed", the Bench ordered.
