A local court on Monday allowed an exemption application filed by Shiromani Akali Dal chief and former Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, excusing him from personal appearance in a defamation case.The matter has now been adjourned to February 27. The case came up for hearing before the court of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate.Badal had earlier been granted bail after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him for failing to appear in the case.In the exemption plea filed through advocate Rajesh Kumar Rai, the SAD leader submitted that he was required to attend a scheduled meeting at Badal village later in the day.He informed the court that senior leaders of the party, along with other dignitaries, would be deliberating on several important issues concerning Punjab. Numerous persons from different villages, cities and states were expected to participate in the meeting, and his presence was stated to be essential and indispensable for the proceedings.He undertook to appear before the court positively on the next date of hearing without fail.The defamation case was filed in January 2017 by Rajinder Pal Singh, spokesperson of the religious organisation Akhand Kirtani Jatha, against Badal over an allegedly controversial statement in which he described the organisation as the political face of a terrorist organisation.The statement was allegedly made after Rajinder Pal Singh held a meeting with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence.