The court has postponed its hearing of the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trial after being told that lead defence lawyer Karpal Singh's brother passed away last night.

Defence lawyer Sankara Nair informed the court this morning that Karpal's youngest brother, Balwinder Singh, 58, had died at 11pm yesterday.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah then postponed the hearing to Monday.

The court was to have heard the defence reply to the prosecution's twin applications - for the judge to review his own ruling in the trial-within-a-trial and for the court to order Anwar to provide his DNA sample for testing.

Yesterday Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden acknowledged that the prosecution's application was unprecedented but argued that the DNA sample is crucial and relevant, as this could establish whether or not there is a match with the DNA retrieved from sperm found in complainant Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan's peri-anal region.

"There has been no application like this before but it does not mean it cannot be done... or else Section 165 (of the Evidence Act) will be mere words. We have the evidence but due to technical reasons, it was not admitted (by the judge)," he had said.

Yusof also found himself in hot soup yesterday when a copy of the prosecution’s application was leaked and published by a number of media organisations, in particular by the New Straits Times and the Malaysia Today blog.

He took responsibility for the leak and while there was an application to cite the respective media for contempt, it was dismissed by the judge.

Karpal had said both applications were unprecedented and said he would submit on these points.

On Tuesday, the judge took just 10 minutes to reject the prosecution's application to admit three items - a mineral water bottle, towel and toothbrush - as evidence.

LIVE REPORTS

8.47am: The team of prosecutors led by Solicitor-General II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden walks into the courtroom in the Jalan Duta court complex.

8.48am: Defendant Anwar Ibrahim arrives with wife and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and a host of supporters.

Also with them are defence counsel Param Cumaraswamy and Sankara Nair.

8.59am: Both the defence and prosecution team are meeting Justice Mohd Zabidin Mohd Diah in his chambers.

There is a possibility of the trial being postponed as a relative of lead defence lawyer Karpal Singh has passed away.

9.03am: Both parties emerge from chambers.

9.04am: The court is called into session.

Sankara informs the court that Karpal's youngest brother, Balwinder Singh, 58, passed away at 11pm yesterday.

He says Karpal will be occupied with the funeral until Monday as there are elaborate rituals to complete.

Yusof says it would be difficult for him to object to the defence's request for a postponement. He sends his condolences to Karpal and his family.

Justice Zabidin allows a postponement until Monday.