New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS): Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav have been asked to appear before the Delhi court on December 3 in connection with a criminal defamation case.

The trio had moved an exemption application on November 25, which Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey duly allowed but directed them to join the proceedings on December 3 "without any failure."

"All the three accused persons are exempted through their Counsel for today only and they are directed to join the proceedings on the next date of hearing without any failure," the judge ordered.

The defamation case was filed by Surender Kumar Sharma, who died recently, against the three political leaders.

He alleged that he was approached by volunteers of Aam Aadmi Party to contest the Delhi Assembly elections on a party ticket in 2013. Later, it was denied to him.

Sharma claimed that in 2013, articles in leading newspapers carried defamatory, unlawful and derogatory words used by the accused persons, which lowered his reputation.