Panel to hold talks with State Haj committee

A high-powered committee (HPC), set up to review the functioning of the Haj Committee of India and its State units, will hold a meeting with the State Haj Committee in Kozhikode on May 12 and 13.

This was said by State Haj Committee chairman Kottumala T.M. Bapu Musliar in a release here on Monday.

Commitee members

The HPC, headed by former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court Bilal Nazki, will evaluate the functioning of the State Haj Committee and receive suggestions from the committee towards improving its functioning.

Besides its members Begum Noor Bano and Mehmood Ur Rahman, the team will also have department Joint Secretary Mridul Kumar and Director A.K. Kaushik. Mr. Musliar said the State Haj Committee had already completed the processing and scrutiny of Haj applications this year even before the deadline fixed by the Central Haj Committee.

Advancing date The Central Haj Committee had subsequently agreed to the request made by the State committee to advance the date for drawing lots for selecting pilgrims to give ample time for the selected members to submit their documents and remit the fare.

The new date for drawing lots will be April 19, he said.