Shillong: The Supreme Court will formally dissolve the marriage of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his wife, Payal Abdullah. A bench consisting of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe recorded the settlement on Friday. Both parties reached the deal through court-mandated mediation.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Abdullah, told the court that the couple ended all disputes. He asked the bench to finalize the divorce. "Both of them have embraced freedom. It's all settled. Lordships may grant divorce. All other matters will be withdrawn," Sibal stated. The court accepted the submission.
The couple married in September 1994 but separated in 2009. They have two sons. Omar Abdullah initially sued for divorce in family court, citing cruelty and desertion. The Patiala House Court rejected that plea in August 2016. It ruled that Abdullah failed to prove his claims.
Abdullah appealed to the Delhi High Court. In December 2023, Justices Sanjeev Sachdeva and Vikas Mahajan dismissed that appeal. The High Court determined his allegations were vague and failed to show physical or mental cruelty. Abdullah then took the case to the Supreme Court, asking for relief under Article 142. The court uses this to grant absolute justice in broken marriages. The dispute is now over.
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