The Madras High Court today adjourned the hearing of the writ pleas filed by the three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case to the 29th of next month.

The writ petition filed by Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan seeks to commute their death sentences.

The Centre in its counter affidavit has said that the decision of the Supreme Court should be upheld following the rejection of their mercy pleas by the President.

The Centre submitted that, once the President has rejected the mercy plea, the proper procedure is to proceed with the execution of the death sentences.

The Additional Solicitor General M. Raveendran submitted to the court that a case relating to the transfer of the writ pleas out of the Madras High Court was pending before the Supreme Court and sought an adjournment.

Accepting the plea, the Bench posted further hearing in the case to November 29.

On August 30, the Madras High Court had stayed the execution of the death penalty of the three convicts by eight weeks and issued notices to the Centre and the State.

The Writ pleas were filed by the trio after the Vellore Prison authorities fixed the date of execution for September 9 following the rejection of the mercy pleas by the President in August.