New Delhi, March 4 (IANS): The Delhi government on Wednesday moved a city court seeking a fresh date for execution of the death-row convicts in Nirbhaya rape and murder case.

The move came a few hours after President Ram Nath Kovind rejected the plea for pardon moved by one of the death-row convicts, Pawan. He was the only convict whose legal remedies were pending.

The four convicts were scheduled to be executed on March 3 at 6 a.m. but the court deferred it till further orders on the grounds that Pawan's mercy petition is pending.

Now, the convicts will be issued a notice and their response will be sought on the application moved by government.

In the next hearing, counsels representing the victim and convicts and jail authorities will argue before the court as to why a fresh date should not be issued.

The court will then pass the order on the application seeking issuance of date for execution of the death sentence.

The case pertains to the gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old girl, called later as Nirbhaya, in the national capital in December 2012. Six people, including the four convicts and a juvenile, were named as accused.

Ram Singh, the sixth accused, allegedly committed suicide in Tihar jail days after the trial began in the case. The juvenile was released in 2015 after spending three years in a correctional home.