A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan while dismissing applications said that the reasons cited by them to seek postponement of surrender and report back to jail have no merit.

"The reasons cited by applicants to seek postponement of surrender and report back to jail have no merit in as much as those reasons in no way prevent them from complying with our directions. Hence, the miscellaneous applications are dismissed. Pending applications, if any, also stand disposed," said the bench.

The time for convicts to surrender will expire on January 21.

The 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano case have approached the apex court seeking an extension of time to surrender before the jail authorities, citing health issues, caretaking of aged parents, impending harvest of crops and other issues.

The convicts were granted remission by the Gujarat government in the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family members during the 2002 Godhra riots.

They were sentenced to life imprisonment but released in August 2022 after serving 14 years of sentence.