HC backs Mohsina as Haj Committee Chief

NEW DELHI: (AMN) Former union minister and senior congress leader Mohsina Kidwai will remain the chairperson of the Haj Committee of India. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday upheld her election as Chairperson. The court also upheld the appointment of two Vice-Chairpersons of Haj Committee.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Deepak Mishra and Justice Manmohan dismissed the petition filed against their elections.

The process of the reconstitution of the Haj Committee of India was challenged in the Delhi High Court in a writ petition in March 2010 as also the election of the Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons of the Committee.

The Ministry of External Affairs administers the Haj Committee Act, 2002 under which the Haj Committee of India is constituted.

According to ministry of external affairs sources the Haj Committee of India was reconstituted earlier this year through the process of nomination and election of the members as provided for in the Act.

Thereafter, the elections for the Chairperson and two Vice-Chairpersons of the Haj Committee of India were conducted on March 10, 2010.

The external affairs ministry was represented by the Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium in the high court.