The Supreme Court granted Omar Abdullah and Payal Abdullah a mutual divorce after recording their amicable settlement.
The couple, separated since 2009, ended a prolonged legal battle after years of failed mediation and litigation.
The Supreme Court was informed on Friday that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah, had arrived at a settlement to end their marriage and had jointly sought divorce by mutual consent under Article 142 of the Constitution.
The couple placed the agreed terms of settlement before the court on July 22, 2026.
“Both of them have embraced freedom. The mutually agreed terms of settlement have already been filed,” senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Omar Abdullah, told the court, reported Bar and Bench.
A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said, “We will pass an order in terms of the agreement. All cases between them shall also be withdrawn.”
The Long Legal Battle
Abdullah approached the Supreme Court in 2024 after several prior mediation attempts failed to resolve the marital dispute. He challenged the December 12, 2023 Delhi High Court judgment rejecting his claim of desertion and mental cruelty for obtaining a divorce decree.
The Delhi High Court had upheld an August 30, 2016 trial court order. That earlier order found no grounds of cruelty against Payal.
The Supreme Court had previously indicated it could invoke Article 142 of the Constitution to annul the marriage. The top court cited an 'irretrievable breakdown' in cases where reconciliation between husband and wife was impossible.
Separation And Maintenance Disputes
The couple married in September 1994 and have lived separated since 2009. Abdullah remained in Jammu and Kashmir, while Payal stayed with their two sons in Delhi.
The Delhi High Court accepted Payal's justification for staying in Delhi due to security concerns and their children's education. The court dismissed Abdullah's cruelty claims as 'vague' and found no merit to alter the arrangement.
The High Court previously directed Abdullah to pay Rs 1.5 lakh in monthly interim maintenance to Payal towards her expenses. It also ordered him to pay Rs 60,000 monthly for each son's education.
The High Court rejected Payal's appeal to increase this interim maintenance in a separate August 2023 order. She also appealed that decision to the Supreme Court. The final order is likely to decide this issue.
