SC issues notice on divorce plea filed by ex-J&K CM Omar Abdullah

New Delhi, July 15: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a plea filed by former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah seeking divorce from his wife, Payal Abdullah.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah was hearing a special leave petition filed by the National Conference leader challenging the Delhi High Court's December 2023 order, which dismissed his appeal against the family court order that had refused to grant him a divorce.

A division bench, headed by Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, had found no infirmity in the family court order which refused to grant Abdullah divorce. It upheld the family court order that the allegations of cruelty by Abdullah against Payal Abdullah were vague.

"Omar Abdullah failed to prove any act of cruelty, whether physical or mental, by Payal Abdullah. We find no merit in the appeal. The same is dismissed," the high court had held.

The trial court, in 2016, had dismissed the plea of Abdullah, who sought divorce from his estranged wife, saying he did not prove an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Abdullah said that they had been living separately since 2009. In August last year, the Delhi High Court had ordered Abdullah to provide a monthly maintenance of Rs 1.5 lakh to his estranged wife and a monthly pay of Rs 60,000 for their son’s education.