The Supreme Court today restored the Senior Advocate designation of Yatin Oza temporarily for a period of two years, the designation had been revoked by the full bench of the Gujarat High Court.
The Supreme Court had previously observed that depriving a lawyer of his senior tag is like a “death penalty.” However, the Court has said extension of the Senior Advocate designation after two years will be at discretion of the Gujarat High Court.
At the previous hearing, the Court had said it will pass an order in the plea filed by Advocate Yatin Oza against the order of Gujarat High Court which had held him guilty of contempt of court in a suo motu contempt proceedings initiated by the High Court against him.
“We are trying to work something out. We need some time. It’s a difficult task for us, to do something between what the High Court is saying and what you are saying. We should have an order ready by the next date,”
-observed the Bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and R. Subhash Reddy on October 7.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Oza, submitted that Yatin Oza has gone through enough, he submitted his unconditional apology. The spirit and thinking process is important in these things.
Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said, “We have no doubt what has been done is wrong. He is the leader of Bar who knows the law and aware of it.”
The bench told Advocate Nikhil Goel, who appeared for the High Court of Gujarat, that there is no need to peruse additional documents and applications again. “We have heard your stand, also heard your arguments as well,” it said and listed the matter for orders on October 28.
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On 05.11.2021, the Court in its order had noted that,
“The execution of the punishment awarded was suspended in terms of Para 65 of the order challenged in Criminal Appeal No 669/2020 for 60 days which expires before the next date and thus the said protection will continue till the next date.”
Oza’s senior designation was withdrawn by the full court on July 18 after a suo motu case had been initiated against him for making allegations of corruption against the court registry in an online press conference.