Furnishing of wrong information has resulted in 29 Haj pilgrims of Andhra Pradesh losing their confirmed seats.
They were trying to perform Haj for the second time in the last five years contrary to the rules laid down by the Haj Committee of India (HCI).
This fact came to light during a scrutiny of applicants being done by the HCI from all over the country.
As per the HCI rules, those applying for Haj should not have performed the pilgrimage during the span of last five years – 2007-2011.
This is for the first time that so many repeat applicants have been detected from the State.
The HCI has cancelled the seats allotted to the repeaters through ‘qurrah’ and is even contemplating forfeiting the first instalment of Rs. 51,000 paid by each applicant towards the Haj journey.
Among the cancelled pilgrims are 5 from Hyderabad, Kadapa - 7, Chittoor - 9, Warangal, Mahabubnagar, Medak - two each, Kurnool and Vishakapatnam - one each. In their place the HCI has confirmed 29 applicants from the waiting list. With this the additional quota of 916 allotted to the State has increased to 946. The cancellation of the confirmed seats has upset the plans 81pilgrims in whose ‘cover number’ the repeaters figured. In cases where women are left alone after cancellation of the repeater male co-pilgrim seat, a substitute ‘mehram’ will be allowed to enable the women to perform Haj. However, the substitute should be an immediate relative like husband/wife, son/daughter, son-in-law, brother/sister.
“No other relation will be allowed to accompany the women pilgrims”, said Abdul Hameed, executive officer, State Haj Committee.
The substitute ‘mehram’ also should not have performed Haj earlier in his life time through the Haj Committee or private tour operator.
Meanwhile, the selected 946 waiting list applicants are asked to submit their original Passport along with a recent photograph of 3.5cm X3.5 cm with white background and original remittance receipt of the advance amount of Rs. 51,000 on or before June 30.
Haj Committee chairman, Syed Khaleeluddin Ahmed, said that all the applicants have been granted provisional selection status by the Haj Committee of India and they have been allotted bank reference numbers as well.
