(a) whether the Government is aware of the recent orders of Supreme Court cutting down the
discretionary Haj quota;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the details of Haj quota before and after passing of such orders, dignitary-wise; and
(d) the response of the Government to the Supreme Court judgement regarding the discretionary Haj quota?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SMT. PRENEET KAUR)
(a) Yes.
(b) As per the interim order dated July 23, 2012 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the discretionary Haj quota of the
Government has been curtailed to 300 seats and for the Haj Committee of India (HCOI) to 200 seats.
(c) Prior to the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court, there was no fixed Haj quota for dignitaries. Government’s
discretionary quota in 2011 of 3061 seats was allotted to those pilgrims who had applied for Haj to the HCOI but were
unsuccessful in the Qurrah and had been recommended by dignitaries and eminent persons.
In pursuance of the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order dated July 23, 2012, the number of seats to be allotted on
the recommendations of the dignitaries is to be limited to the following:
The Hon’ble President of India 100 seats The Hon’ble Vice-President 75 seats The Hon’ble Prime Minister 75 seats The Hon’ble External Affairs Minister 50 seats HCOI 200 seats