ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing in the contempt of court case against former law minister Babar Awan to May 17, DawnNews reported.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan and Justice Athar Saeed, heard the case.

During the hearing, Awan requested the court to defer the proceedings to a later date, DawnNews reported.

The court, accepting Awan's plea, adjourned the hearing to May 17.

Awan is facing the contempt charge for his media jibe against the judiciary. He severely criticised the apex court at a press conference on Dec 1 last year soon after it had ordered an inquiry into the memo scandal by Tariq Khosa, a former director general of the Federal Investigation Agency, and attacked a sitting Supreme Court judge for being a brother of Khosa.

On April 10, Awan formerly tendered an apology to the Supreme Court, especially to Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, brother of Tariq Khosa, for his utterances against the judiciary.