Supreme Court Orders Mediation in Omar Abdullah Divorce Case, Sets November Hearing
SC Directs Omar and Payal Abdullah to Explore Settlement Options Ahead of November Hearing
NEw Delhi, 30-08-2024 : On Friday, the Supreme Court directed Omar Abdullah, the National Conference leader, and his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah, to participate in mediation sessions aimed at exploring a possible settlement in their ongoing divorce case. The directive was issued by a bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah. The court scheduled the next hearing for November 4, pending the submission of a report from the Supreme Court Mediation Centre.
The Supreme Court’s intervention follows an earlier request for Payal Abdullah’s response to Omar Abdullah’s divorce plea. In a prior development, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Omar Abdullah’s divorce petition on December 12, 2023, citing the lack of merit in his appeal. The High Court had upheld a 2016 family court decision that refused to grant a divorce decree to Abdullah, who is a former Chief Minister of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Supreme Court’s move to refer the case to mediation reflects its effort to encourage a mutually acceptable resolution before proceeding further with legal proceedings. The outcome of the mediation process will be reviewed in the upcoming court session in November.
