Four years after its opinion was sought by the Centre, the file pertaining to the mercy petition of Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru, who is in the death row, has been sent to the Union home ministry by the Delhi government.

The file was sent to the home ministry by Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna after the Delhi government had referred it to him recently for his comments while backing the sentence with a rider that the implications of law and order situation should be closely examined while carrying out the execution

"The Lt Governor has sent the file pertaining to Afzal Guru's mercy petition to the Union home ministry for further action," top sources told PTI.

It was after the 16th reminder from the Union home ministry seeking its opinion that the city government sent the file to LG's office for him to take a call in the matter.

The Supreme Court had in 2005 upheld the Delhi High Court verdict confirming the trial court judgement which had awarded capital punishment to Guru for his role in the conspiracy behind the December 13, 2001, terror attack on Parliament.

Afzal's file was lying in the cold storage for the last four years with the Delhi Government but it swung into action only after May 6 when Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was handed down death sentence for the Mumbai carnage.

Afzal Guru's hanging has been a major issue for a section in the Congress as well BJP which have raised the matter numerous times in both houses of Parliament and the Delhi Assembly.