There was no indication of when a judge's decision on the indictment request might come, prosecutors said. Such decisions have been known to take weeks.
Berlusconi is accused of ordering the payment in 1997 of at least $600,000 to British lawyer David Mills -- whose indictment also was being sought -- in exchange for the lawyer's false testimony in two trials against Berlusconi. Both men deny the allegations.
If convicted, Mills and Berlusconi each could be sentenced to three to eight years in prison, prosecutors said.
Berlusconi has a long history of legal troubles linked to Milan-based business interests. Previously, he was acquitted or saw the case dismissed because the statute of limitations had expired.
He always maintained his innocence.
Prosecutor Fabio De Pasquale said magistrates were proceeding with the case now because ''if we don't complete the trial process within two years, there's a risk that the statute of limitations could run out."
Mills is accused of giving false testimony in two hearings, in 1997 and 1998. He is accused of failing to mention a 1995 phone call with Berlusconi in which they discussed alleged illicit payments from Berlusconi to Bettino Craxi, former Socialist prime minister, prosecutors confirmed.
Mills also is accused of failing to tell a court two offshore companies involved in buying US film rights were linked to Berlusconi.
The accusations surrounding Mills's testimony stem from a case in which Berlusconi, Mills, and 12 others are accused of tax fraud and embezzlement in the purchase of US movie rights by Mediaset, Berlusconi's media empire.
