New Delhi, April 17 -- The Supreme Court has directed Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his estranged wife Payal Abdullah to sit together and make an effort to resolve their matrimonial disputes.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the National Conference leader for divorce. A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran was informed that the mediation process in their case had failed.

"Although the mediation in this case has failed, but purely in order to give another chance, the parties shall sit together and make an effort to resolve their disputes. Let the efforts be made within three weeks," the bench said in an order passed on April 15.

The top court, which posted the hearing on May 7, previously...