A claim that the Supreme Court of India's motto was previously Satyamev Jayate (truth alone prevails) and has now changed to Yato Dharmastato Jayah (where there is dharma, there will be victory) is false as the latter has always been the apex court's motto.
BOOM found that the inscription below the logo of the national emblem of the apex court has always been Yato dharmastato Jayah and has never changed. The court also interprets its meaning as 'truth alone I uphold'.
Senior journalist Punya Prasun Bajpai tweeted photos of the national emblem along with the caption in Hindi claiming, "the Supreme Court's logo has been changed. Instead of Satyameva Jayate, yatodharmastato jayah"
(Original tweet : "सुप्रीम कोर्ट का चिन्ह बदल गया....'सत्यमेव जयते' की जगह..।।यतो धर्मस्ततो जय: ।।)
Bajpai deleted the tweet when it was pointed out to him that the inscription in the logo has always been yato dharmastato jayah.
However, the claim has since been shared multiple times on Twitter.
The archives of the tweets can be viewed here and here.
BOOM also received the claim on its WhatsApp helpline (7700906111)
Fact Check
BOOM accessed the Supreme Court's history section on its website and found an article detailing the SC's history. The section titled "Dharma Chakra logo of the Supreme Court" elaborates on the logo of the apex court.
The article says that the logo was adopted from the Lion Capital of Emperor Ashoka in Sarnath. The logo features the Ashoka Chakra mounted on top of the Sarnath Lions with यतो धर्मस्ततो जय: (Yato dharmastato Jayah) inscribed below it.
BOOM accessed the Supreme Court's old website on the webpage archive, The Wayback Machine.
BOOM then accessed the archives of the webpage of the Supreme Court's museum section. The oldest archive is from February 6, 2006. The then Chief Justice of India VN Khare had written a message for the museum which has been uploaded under the 'Message' tab. The Supreme Court's emblem can be seen on the letterhead with यतो धर्मस्ततो जय: inscribed below it.
We also found a 2019 photo of the Supreme Court's emblem on Getty Images clicked by a Hindustan Times photographer. The inscription below the Sarnath Lion is यतो धर्मस्ततो जय:. The emblem has been wrought in metal.
The same claim was also debunked by the Press Information Bureau's fact-checking arm - PIB FactCheck.
