The apex court also allowed the plea of the Karnataka high court registry, which had filed an application on behalf of the judge hearing the appeal seeking extension of the deadline of April 18 for disposal of the appeal to May 12.
A bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justice A K Mishra also gave liberty to the high court judge to move application in future for extension of time for delivering the judgment in view of the fact that a matter connected to the case is pending in the apex court before the larger bench.
The bench was referring to the petition field by Dravida Munetra Kazhagam leader K Anbazhagan seeking removal of the special public prosecutor from appearing in the appeal filed before the high court on which the apex court on April 15 had given a split verdict and the matter has been referred for hearing before a three judge bench on April 21.