Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has married journalist Nidhi Razdan, making their relationship public through a social media announcement on Saturday, October 31.
Abdullah shared a photograph with Razdan on Instagram, revealing that the wedding had taken place a day earlier, on October 30. Captioning the picture, he wrote, “A new journey began yesterday”, while tagging Razdan in the post.
Following the announcement, questions have emerged over whether Razdan converted to Islam to marry Abdullah. However, the marriage was solemnised under the Special Marriage Act in New Delhi, and no religious conversion was involved.
Under the Special Marriage Act in India, couples can legally marry irrespective of their religious affiliations without either partner having to convert to the other's religion. The law provides for a civil marriage, allowing individuals to retain their respective religious identities after marriage.
The wedding ceremony was attended by family members and close relatives from both sides.
Omar Abdullah's marriage comes months after divorce
The wedding announcement comes just months after the Supreme Court cleared the way for Abdullah's divorce from his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah.
On July 31, 2026, the Supreme Court agreed to dissolve their marriage after both parties expressed their willingness to separate through mutual consent.
The former couple also informed the court that they had reached an understanding to settle their outstanding disputes and withdraw the legal proceedings initiated against each other.
The matter had reached the apex court after Omar Abdullah challenged a Delhi High Court order that had earlier rejected his divorce plea.
During the proceedings, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing both parties, told the court that they had resolved their differences. The couple subsequently sought the dissolution of their marriage through mutual consent by invoking Article 142 of the Constitution.
Omar Abdullah married Payal Abdullah in 1994. The two reportedly met while working at The Oberoi hotel in Delhi before deciding to get married.
They have two sons, Zahir and Zamir. However, their relationship eventually became strained, with the couple living separately since 2009.
Omar Abdullah publicly announced their separation in 2011, while their divorce proceedings continued for several years.
