

BENGALURU: With the inaugural Hajj pilgrimage flight scheduled to take off on Thursday, May 9, the Karnataka Hajj Committee plans to hold an event on May 8, a day after voting in the remaining 14 LS constituencies in the state.
As the model code of conduct will still be in force, the Committee has written to the Election Commission of India (ECI), seeking permission to invite Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and two other ministers for the Hajj inaugural flight, scheduled on May 9.
Hajj Committee executive officer Sarfaraz Khan told TNIE, “The committee has already written to the ECI, seeking permission to host the event.” He added that for 2024, the committee received 13,500 applications, of which 10,500 applicants will be sent under the quota for Karnataka. Two or three flights with 200-300 pilgrims will fly daily from Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Goa till May 25.