The Patiala house court adjourned the hearing of a petition filed by the victim’s parents in the Nirbhaya case, till January 7. The court also asked Tihar authorities to issue a notice to the convicts giving them a week’s time to decide whether they want to file mercy petitions.

The public prosecutor argued in Delhi court that pendency of mercy petitions or fact that convicts want to file mercy petitions does not preclude court from issuing death warrant. The lawyer representing Nirbhaya's parents said, "I request this court to fix a date and time beyond 14 days. If the convicts have any remedy remaining, they can approach the necessary authority."

"Without a warrant, the superintendent of the jail will not execute the death penalty”, he added.

Additional sessions Judge Satish Kumar Arora, on the last date of hearing, said that the court is not bound to wait for the legal remedies to be exhausted to pass an order.

The convicts were produced before the court via video conferencing.