Gujarat High Court's full court restores Yatin Oza's Senior designation after Supreme Court verdict

The Gujarat High Court has restored the Senior Advocate designation of veteran lawyer Yatin Oza for a period of two years, in line with the Supreme Court's decision in Yatin Oza vs. High Court of Gujarat..A notification to that effect was issued by the Registrar General of the High Court, which said that the decision to restore Oza's senior gown was taken at a full court meeting of the High Court held on December 24, 2021.The decision will come into effect from January 1, 2022. .The decision to withdraw Oza’s Senior gown was taken by the Gujarat High Court in July 2020 after he raised allegations of corruption against the High Court Registry.Simultaneously, the High Court also initiated suo motu contempt proceedings against Oza and found him guilty of the same.Oza had appealed to the Supreme Court against the contempt judgment, while also filing a separate writ petition challenging the Full Court decision to withdraw his Senior gown.In a judgment rendered on October 28, 2021, a Supreme Court Bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul restored the Senior designation of Gujarat lawyer Yatin Oza for a period of two years with effect from January 1, 2022.Importantly, the Court said that extension of Senior designation beyond two years will be at the discretion of the Gujarat High Court after taking into account the conduct of the veteran lawyer..Oza was designated a Senior Advocate at the age of 39 and has served as the president of the Gujarat High Court Advocates Association 17 times. He is known to be an outspoken person and has often drawn the ire of courts for his statements. He had written a controversial letter to the Chief Justice of India in 2016 alleging that two judges in Gujarat High Court owe their allegiance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. This had led to contempt proceedings against him, though it was subsequently dropped.Oza has also served as a member of the Gujarat legislative assembly..[Read notification].[BREAKING] Supreme Court restores Senior designation of Gujarat lawyer Yatin Oza for two years