New Delhi, July 20 - Maintaining that the recent Delhi High Court verdict decriminalising homosexuality does not permit incestuous relations or adultery, the Supreme Court Monday said it will wait for the central government's formal stand on the issue before forming its opinion.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathashivam made the observation while hearing a bunch of petition opposing and supporting the high court judgement.

The Delhi High Court July 2 decriminalised sex between two consenting adults of the same gender. Defined as unnatural sex under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, homosexuality was earlier punishable with imprisonment up to life.