The Supreme Court Tuesday sought response from the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case on the Centre's appeal against the Delhi High Court verdict which had refused to set aside the stay on their execution.
The apex court also granted liberty to the authorities to approach the trial court for obtaining fresh date for execution of death warrant.
A bench comprising Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and AS Bopanna made it clear that pendency of appeal filed by the Centre and the Delhi Government before it “will not be an impediment for the trial court” to consider the request for issuance of fresh date for execution “on its own merits”.
It noted the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and Delhi Government, that one week's time granted by the high court to these convicts is expiring today.