Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on Sunday told the Delhi High Court that there is deliberate, calculated and well-thought of design by Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case convicts to "frustrate mandate of law" by getting their execution delayed.

Mehta told Justice Suresh Kait that convict Pawan Gupta's move of not filing curative or mercy petition is deliberate, calculated inaction.

"There is deliberate, calculated and well thought of design to frustrate mandate of law," Mehta told HC.

The high court is hearing Centre's plea challenging stay on the execution of four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case.

The proceedings are currently underway.