New Delhi: Delhi High Court has dismissed Aam Aadmi Chief Arvind Kejriwal's plea questioning decision of the judge to expedite the hearing of defamation suit filed by Union Minister Arun Jaitley.

AAP leaders had challenged the single bench order to expedite the process of hearing of the civil defamation case. The High Court, however, has dismissed AAP’s plea stating that it was "devoid of merit".

HC also noted that the AAP leaders had admitted that disparaging remarks had been made by lawyer Ram Jethmalani during the cross examination of Arun Jaitley.

The High Court observed that expedition of the trial is the "need of the hour" and recommended in all cases. HC added that the application against the court directions was "misconceived" and "with the intention" to protract the hearing.

The High Court had earlier rapped Arvind Kejriwal for questioning the decision of the single judge to expedite the hearing on the defamation case filed by Union Minister Arun Jaitley.

Read: Delhi HC raps Kejriwal for questioning judge's decision to expedite trial in defamation case filed by Arun Jaitley

Reserving the order on Arvind Kejriwal's plea against single judge decision to speed up hearing on the defamation suit against him and other five AAP leaders, the High Court had stated that it is duty-bound to conduct the trial in an expeditious manner and that the single judge cannot be faulted for ensuring speedy trial.

Arun Jaitley had filed an application for expediting the recording of evidence in an orderly and fair manner in the first Rs 10-crore defamation suit against Kejriwal and the five AAP leaders for making allegations of corruption against him by them.

He said in a fresh application that Kejriwal had filed a reply denying that he had instructed his senior lawyer to make derogatory comments.

However, this was opposed by his former counsel Ram Jethmalani two days later.

Senior advocates Rajiv Nayar and Sandeep Sethi, appearing for the Union finance minister, urged the court to allow them to file a criminal complaint against Kejriwal for making a false statement and filing a false affidavit.