New Delhi: On Thursday, the Delhi High Court issued a directive mandating former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to provide alimony amounting to ₹1.5 lakh to his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah. Additionally, the court ruled that he must allocate ₹60,000 per month for his son’s educational expenses.
This legal matter traces back to 2018, when a trial court initially ordered Omar Abdullah to pay ₹75,000 monthly to Payal Abdullah, along with an interim maintenance fee of ₹25,000 until their son reaches the age of 18. At that juncture, the trial court determined that Abdullah possessed sufficient financial means and was obligated to support both his spouse and their minor child. The court underscored that the provision of maintenance to the wife is an essential facet of social justice, emphasising the importance of safeguarding the welfare of children in such circumstances. The trial court’s 2018 decision underlined that a husband’s status should not serve as a basis for forfeiting his wife’s right to claim alimony, regardless of her qualifications. The court stressed that husbands bear a legal and moral responsibility to financially support their wives and children when they possess the means and standing to do so, and that this duty should not be circumvented through numerical calculations.
Subsequently, the wife challenged this trial court order by approaching the Delhi High Court, leading to the recent decision by a bench presided over by Justice Subramonium Prasad. In this latest ruling, the Delhi High Court has increased the alimony amount, thereby altering the financial provisions in favour of Payal Abdullah.
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