Haj subsidy: SC stays Allahabad HC order

New Delhi, Sep 18 (UNI) The Supreme Court today stayed the Allahabad High Court judgement and permitted the Centre to continue to provide subsidies to the Haj pilgrims for the year 2006.

The Allahabad High Court had directed the Centre in August this year, not to provide any subsidy to the Haj pilgrims, as no such subsidy was being provided to the pilgrims of any other religion in India.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justices A R Lakshmanan and C K Thakker also requested the High Court to decide the petition as expeditiously as possible so that the legal position becomes clear.

The apex court also noted that the observation of this court made in today's order would have no bearing on the merits of the case.

Solicitor General G E Vahanwati, appearing for the appellate Centre pleaded before the court that, the impugned order, if not set aside shall result in loss of faith of the country in international community.

He also pleaded that the Centre has already made all the arrangements and has entered into an agreement with the government of Saudi Arabia.

In all 1,47,000 Haj pilgrims have been allotted to India by Saudi Arabia. The Indian government has to arrange subsidies for 1 lakh pilgrims while the remaining 47,000 will have to make their own arrangements.

The Haj pilgrimage to Macca- Madina is due to start in the month of November.

UNI AKS/SC AKJ RP DS1435