In a recent development, the Supreme Court has requested Omar Abdullah, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and his estranged wife Payal Abdullah, to personally sit down together and attempt to resolve their ongoing matrimonial disputes. This direction came during the hearing of a divorce plea filed by the National Conference leader.
A bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran noted that although the mediation efforts have previously failed, they urged both parties to give reconciliation another chance. “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 stated in their order on April 15.
The apex court has scheduled the next hearing for May 7, following a failed attempt at mediation. The Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed Omar Abdullah’s plea for a divorce on December 12, 2023, citing no merit in his appeal. This decision upheld the 2016 family court order that had initially refused to grant a decree of divorce to Omar.
