Divorce case: SC directs Omar Abdullah, wife to sit together, resolve dispute

The Supreme Court has directed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his estranged wife Payal Abdullah to sit together and make an effort to resolve their matrimonial disputes.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the National Conference leader for divorce. A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran was informed that a previous round of mediation between the two had failed.

“Although the mediation in this case has failed, but purely in order to give another chance, the parties shall sit together and make an effort to resolve their disputes. Let the efforts be made within three weeks,” the bench said in an order passed on April 15.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on May 7.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had sought a response from Payal on her husband’s plea.

The Delhi High Court on December 12, 2023, had dismissed Omar’s plea for divorce, and said there was no merit in his appeal and upheld the 2016 family court order, which refused to grant a decree of divorce to him.