Chandigarh, Aug. 14 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed a Mansa court to consider application from chief minister, Bhagwant Mann on exemption from hearing in a defamation case filed by Nazar Singh Manshahia, a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA.

The CM had approached the court challenging the August 2 order wherein the court had said that if Mann did not appear before the court on the next date of hearing, the bail will be cancelled. The bench of justice Tribhuvan Dahiya, while issuing notice to state and the complainant, has posted the matter for hearing on August 18.

".. the trial court is directed to consider the petitioner's application, if any, moved before it for exemption on merits dehors the stipulation in the order ...