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17 Years Apart, Now Legally Separated : Supreme Court Approves Omar Abdullah’s Divorce
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has officially granted a mutual consent divorce to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his wife Payal Abdullah, bringing an end to a prolonged legal battle after the couple had been living separately for nearly 17 years. Invoking its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, a Bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe approved the settlement, while both sides also agreed to withdraw all pending legal cases against each other.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing before the court, informed the Bench that both Omar and Payal had mutually decided to part ways and move forward independently. Accepting the settlement, the apex court brought closure to one of the most closely watched matrimonial disputes involving a prominent political leader.
Omar Abdullah and Payal first met while working at The Oberoi Hotel in New Delhi and later got married in September 1994. The couple has two sons, but differences in their relationship led them to start living separately in 2009. Omar publicly acknowledged their separation in 2011.
The legal dispute began when Omar Abdullah sought divorce on the grounds of cruelty. However, the Family Court dismissed his plea, observing that the allegations had not been sufficiently proved. The Delhi High Court also upheld the Family Court’s decision in December 2023, rejecting his appeal.
During the proceedings, the Delhi High Court had directed Omar Abdullah to pay ₹1.5 lakh per month as maintenance to Payal and ₹60,000 per month towards the education expenses of their son. Following that order, Omar approached the Supreme Court, where both parties eventually reached an amicable settlement. With the apex court’s approval, the long-standing matrimonial dispute has now been formally resolved, marking the legal end of a marriage that had remained separated for nearly two decades.
