December 16 Delhi bus gang rape accused Akshay Thakur (L) and Pawan Gupta (R) brought to Delhi High Court under high security for hearing on September 24, 2013 in New Delhi, India. (Getty Images)

A Delhi court has postponed the date of execution of four convicts of Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case. The Patiala House court was hearing the plea filed by convict Pawan Kumar Gupta seeking a stay execution as he has filed a mercy petition before the President on Monday.

Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana has deferred the hearing further orders.

Earlier, the additional session judge had rapped the convict's lawyer for acting so late in filing the curative and mercy pleas. Pawan's curative plea was rejected by the Supreme Court earlier in the day.

The court had earlier in the day dismissed Pawan's and Akshay Kumar Singh's applications for staying their death warrants.

However, Pawan's lawyer, A P Singh, said he has filed a mercy plea and execution ought to be stayed. The court, thereafter, asked him to come post-lunch to argue his case.

In the post-lunch hearing, the court pulled up Singh saying, "You are playing with fire, you should be cautious" and added "one wrong move by anybody, and you know the consequences".

Tihar authorities, during the hearing, said the ball is in the government's court, after filing of the mercy petition, and the judge has no role for now.

They said the President will seek a status report from the jail on Pawan's mercy plea and when that happens, it will suo motu stay the execution.