Accepting the plea for an 'urgent hearing', the Supreme Court on Friday fixed for Monday, a hearing of All India Institute of Medical Sciences chief P Venugopal's petition challenging Parliament's decision to fix 65 years as the superannuation age for the post of the institute's director.

In a related development, President Pratibha Patil [Images] gave her assent to the controversial bill fixing the age limit of 65 years for the AIIMS director, even as the apex court admitted Venugopal's plea. Her nod, in a way, confirmed fears expressed by him while filing his plea in court.

Earlier, a bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran agreed to take up the matter on an urgent basis after senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi, submitted that if not heard immediately, Venugopal could be forced by the government to retire.

The petition is the result of an apparent tug-off-war between Union health minister A Ramadoss and the AIIMS chief that witnessed several rounds of litigation in the Delhi High Court, which had earlier ruled in favour of the director.