SC declines Haj Private Tour Operators' plea

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea seeking review of the policy that requires private tour operators to provide Haj tour services at the government rates. A division bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and BR Gavai was hearing a petition filed by the Federation of Haj Private Tour Operators of India.

Recently, the Central government had allowed 10,000 additional seats for pilgrims going through private operators. The federation had moved the court challenging the condition imposed on private tour operators, directing them to charge additional quota of 10,000 seats allotted to them at the applicable rates of the Haj Committee of India.

Senior advocate Salman Khurshid and advocate Sulaiman Khan, who appeared on the behalf of the petitioner, contended that the move would "hurt their business." Earlier on June 18, the top court had issued a notice to the Centre on the plea filed by tour operators. The court had also directed the petitioners to make their representation before the concerned ministry.