The Supreme Court will pronounceits order on the issue of rejection of the Nirbhaya gang-rape case convict's mercypetition by President Ram Nath Kovind. On February 1, convict Vinay KumarSharma's mercy petition was rejected by the President.

Earlier on Thursday, theapex court had reserved the order on his mercy petition for 2 pm on Friday. Theconvict's lawyer AP Singh argued in the SC that convict Sharma was kept in illegalconfinement and "illegally tortured" in Tihar Jail. He had also claimed thatthere has been a history of physical assaults on Vinay.

However, Solicitor GeneralTushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Delhi government had denied it andsaid, "He (convict Vinay Sharma) was not kept in solitary confinement, asargued by advocate AP Singh. There is a limited scope of judicial review, asthe President of India had rejected the mercy petition after SC reserved orderduly considering and applying his mind."

It may be mentioned herethat, Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, Vinay Sharma and Akshay Thakur are currentlylodged in Tihar Jail. On January 31, their death sentence was stayed by a lowercourt till further orders.