The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition challenging the Prime Minister's decision to include "tainted" persons in his Council of Ministers.

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A Bench headed by Justice N Santosh Hedge dismissed a petition filed by Manoj Narula when the Union government said it was a matter for debate in the Parliament and the courts should not step into an issue which is exclusively within the domain of the legislature.

The court, while dismissing the petition, recorded the assurance given by the Centre through Solicitor General G E Vahanvati that at the first given opportunity the issue of inclusion of tainted persons in the Union Council of Ministers would be debated in Parliament.

The petitioner requested the court to fix a time frame for such a debate but the court rejected the plea.