Haj is a fundamental right of Muslims: HC; suspension of Haj Group Organisers stayed

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The Delhi High Court has stayed the suspension of registration and quota of private Haj Group Organisers (HGOs), noting that Haj for Muslims is not merely a holiday but a medium of practising their faith, which is a fundamental right.

The Centre had last month kept in abeyance the registration and quota of some HGOs, which act as tour operators for pilgrims, after they were found to be ineligible on various grounds, including “willful misrepresentation of facts”.

A Vacation Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, while dealing with petitions by several such HGOs, said it was concerned about the plight of pilgrims who had paid in advance to the petitioners.

The Centre told the court that it has the right to suspend or cancel the registration of HGOs and that it was not willing to risk placing the pilgrims’ fate in the hands of non-compliant HGOs.