Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today claimed in Delhi High Court that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and five others were doing "everything possible" to delay the proceedings against them in a civil defamation suit filed by him.

Jaitley's counsel made the statement to this effect before a bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi, after the lawyer representing Kejriwal and others informed the court that they have filed fresh applications seeking a direction to the petitioner to strike off new allegations levelled by him in his replication (a plaintiff's reply to the defendant's plea).

"I am opposing this. Today, the matter is for framing of issues. They (defendants) have done everything possible to delay the proceedings," senior advocate Pratibha Maninder Singh, who appeared for Jaitley, said.

The lawyer appearing for the defendants sought adjournment saying all applications should be heard together. "There is no question of delay. I must have the liberty to argue on behalf of my clients," the counsel said.