'The GoM (group of ministers) report is restricted to the cabinet,' the minister maintained.

The home ministry, she said, would be issuing a statement on the issue.

The question was to have been discussed at a cabinet meeting Sep 10 but was not taken up in the absence of Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who was then in the US.

The high court decision has been challenged in the Supreme Court, which had July 9 sought the respective stands of the union and the Delhi governments.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan issued notices to the two governments, besides seven others, on a lawsuit filed by Delhi-based astrologer-cum-advocate Suresh Kaushal and sought the respondents' replies by July 20.

At the July 20 hearing, Vahanvati said: 'There are three ministries involved in the matter. We need some more time to formulate our view.'

'We don't exactly want a stay,' Vahanvati added.

Defined as unnatural sex under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, homosexuality was punishable with imprisonment up to life.