This is the seventh time the case has been adjourned since its final hearing began on September 25, 1998.

The petitions, filed by Pune corporator Nitin Jagtap and journalist Vijay Kumbhar, allege that the CM's son-in-law and private builder Girish Vyas used his political clout to dereserve a prime plot at Prabhat Road.

When the matter was placed for directions before the division bench of Justice B N Srikrishna and Justice S S Parkar on January 19, Justice Srikrishna had asked the counsels not to cause any further adjournments and start the hearing on a priority basis.

However, when the matter came up for hearingtoday, advocate general C J Sawant, representing the Government of Maharashtra, told the judges about his illness. He said he continued to be indisposed. It was told that the government had made alternate arrangements by engaging senior counsel L M Singhvi. However, Singhvi too told the court he could not appear in court up to February 10. Meanwhile, counsel V R Manohar, representing Girish Vyas, expressed his inability to attend the court since he was already appearing before another bench in the important encounters case.

Petitioner Vijay Kumbhar's counsel Vinod Bobde strongly objected to the adjournments sought by the senior counsels of the respondent parties. He said the litigation, which involved public interest, cannot be prolonged continuously. However, counsel Manohar observed that ``heavens will not fall if the hearing is taken after a few days.'' Counsel Singhvi also reiterated the same view. Manohar also said the court has already stayed the grant of occupation certificate to Vyas' building.Therefore, there can be no damage to the public interest in the meantime.

Justice Srikrishna expressed concern over the repeated adjournments. In a short order dictated after the deliberations, the judge ruled: ``Whatever be the other pre-occupations of the counsels, they should make themselves available on February 8 or make alternate arrangements.''