In a notable development, the Supreme Court of India has directed Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah, to engage in mediation under the court’s aegis. This directive comes as part of the ongoing legal proceedings concerning their separation and divorce.
During the session on Friday, the bench, including Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, proposed that both parties consider mediation to potentially settle their differences amicably. The legal representatives for both sides, Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Shyam Diwan, expressed agreement to this approach.
The court highlighted the mediation as a strategy to facilitate a settlement, albeit acknowledging that reconciliation might not be possible for every marriage. The judges have scheduled a follow-up hearing for eight weeks later, allowing time for the mediation process.
Kapil Sibal, representing Omar Abdullah, clarified that his client seeks mediation to resolve pending issues rather than to restore the marital relationship. He noted that Omar and Payal Abdullah have been living separately for the last 15 years, indicating a prolonged disunion.
The appeal to the Supreme Court by Omar Abdullah challenges a prior ruling from the Delhi High Court, which on December 12, 2023, upheld a family court’s verdict denying him a divorce. The Delhi High Court had also mandated Omar Abdullah to provide monthly maintenance of Rs 1.5 lakh to Payal and Rs 60,000 to each of their two sons, Zahir and Zamir.
The couple, married in September 1994, had publicly announced their separation in 2011 after 17 years together. Omar Abdullah’s initial divorce petition cited cruelty but was dismissed by the family court as lacking concrete evidence, a decision later supported by the High Court.
