New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday asked National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and his estranged wife Payal Abdullah to appear before the Supreme Court mediation centre to explore the possibility of settlement between them.
Apex court called for a report by the mediation centre by the next date of hearing
A bench comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, while suggesting the parties to attempt mediation, deferred the hearing on Omar Abdullah’s plea till November 4 and called for a report by the mediation centre by the next date.
Omar Abdullah has moved the top court against an order of the Delhi High Court dismissing his plea for grant of divorce.
The apex court had earlier sought a response from Payal Abdullah on Omar Abdullah’s plea.
A family court in 2016 refused to grant divorce to Omar Abdullah on grounds of cruelty
A family court in August 2016 dismissed a plea of Omar Abdullah seeking divorce from his estranged wife Payal Abdullah on grounds of cruelty. The family court had August 30, 2016 said that Omar Abdullah could not prove his claims of “cruelty” or “desertion” which were the grounds alleged by him for grant of decree of divorce.
The Delhi High Court on December 12 last year upheld the 2016 family court order and dismissed the plea of Omar Abdullah seeking divorce, saying there was no merit in his appeal.
No infirmity in the view taken by the family court that the allegations of cruelty were vague: High Court
The High Court, while upholding the family court order refusing to grant the National Conference leader divorce on the grounds of cruelty, had said that there was no infirmity in the order of the family court taking the view that allegations of cruelty levelled by Omar Abdullah were vague and unacceptable.
“We find no infirmity in the view taken by the family court that the allegations of cruelty were vague and unacceptable, that the appellant failed to prove any act which could be termed as an act of cruelty, be it physical or mental, towards him,” the High Court had said while dismissing Omar Abdullah’s plea challenging the family court order.