Bound by statement to Supreme Court: Yatin Oza on not contesting GHCAA elections

Senior Advocate Yatin Oza has circulated a statement explaining his reasons for abstaining from contesting in the election for the post of President of the Gujarat High Court Advocates' Association..He said he felt bound by his statement to the Supreme Court that he would sit out the forthcoming elections..Oza, whose Senior designation was recently reinstated by the top court after it was withdrawn by the Gujarat High Court, referred to "unilateral" statements made by him on three occasions before a Bench of the top court during his challenge to the decision of the Gujarat High Court to withdraw his Senior Advocate designation.“The Supreme Court has given me a second lease of life, it has restored my lost reputation, in that view of the matter, I personally feel that whatever unilateral statement I had made, I should be bound by it,” he said..On October 6 2020, the Gujarat High Court had found Oza guilty of contempt for his allegations of corruption against the High Court Registry made during a Facebook press conference. Nearly a year later, the Supreme Court restored his Senior Advocate designation for two years..Speaking to well-wishers, seniors and friends by way of a video he circulated, Oza responded to those anxious to know why he was not contesting the upcoming advocates' association elections.Oza acknowledged that the Supreme Court had generously refrained from binding him to his statements. Yet, he felt it was his responsibility to stand by his assertions.“Though it was a very kind, generous and very liberal approach of the Supreme Court not to bind me and specifically making a mention of this request of mine and answering to that, they relieved me from this statement. However, I personally feel that I am bound by the unilateral statement made by me before the Supreme Court.”.Speaking to Bar & Bench, the lawyer reiterated that he believed his statements bound him, despite the top court’s generous approach. “You make a statement before the highest court of the land, you can’t thereafter say that Supreme Court has not made me bound so I can now do it...that is the least courtesy and respect I can show to the Supreme Court. There has to be sanctity of the statement made before the Court,” Oza said.