The top court has asked Union Government to respond in a plea seeking establishment of Central and State Haj Committee for States according to the provisions of the Haj Committee Act 2002.
The states were directed by the Supreme Court to inform about the status of constitution of Haj committees within two weeks.
A bench of Justice S A Nazeer and Justice J K Maheshwari asked the states to specify the names of committee members. “
States have to file an affidavit if Haj Committees have been constituted and to specify the names of company.
The direction on the same has come after senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, who appeared for the petitioner, informed the bench that many States have not filed compliance reports as yet.
The response was sought from the Union Government by the Apex Court on a plea which reported that under the Haj Committee Act 2002, the Centre and states have failed to appoint Committees under the statute.
The petition had also requests proper utilisation of the Central and state Haj funds created under chapter IV of the Haj Act.
The matter is that the respondents have failed to appoint Haj committees at the Central and state level which is resulting in a situation where the pilgrims are rendered orphans, with no one to take care of their interest, it added.