MALAPPURAM: The State Haj Committee has demanded the Haj Committee of India to postpone the date for the draw of lots of applications. The demand has been raised in the wake of an impending plea demanding to reinstate reservation for fifth time applicants before the Supreme Court. The Central Haj panel had directed to draw the lots of applications on January 21. The plea of the state will be heard on January 31.
“There should be clarity in the case of fifth-time applicants before the draw of lots. We expect a positive verdict from the Supreme Court,” said Haj Committee chairman Thodiyur Muhammed Kunhi Musliyar during a meeting held at the Haj House in Karipur on Monday. “The draw of lots can be held on February 2,” he said.
In the plea, the Haj Committee has demanded restoration of the Haj embarkation point at Calicut International Airport in Karipur from this year. The case is being considered by a three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra.
The embarkation point was shifted to the Nedumbassery airport three years ago after the services of wide-bodied aircraft were banned at Karipur. The State Haj Committee is of the view that it would not be feasible to conduct the Haj camp at Nedumbassery this year as many facilities there have been used up by the airport company.
“The areas where canteen and toilets were set up have come under tight security cover. Two hangars of the airports have been allocated to various airline companies. Karipur has all the facilities to host the camp,” said Musliyar.