The Court of Appeal has suspended the previous allocation of Haj pilgrim quotas for 2024 and ordered the inclusion of an aggrieved travel agent for proper allocation.
Every year, the Saudi Arabian government allocates quotas to each country to manage pilgrim influx. Sri Lanka's allocation of 3,500 pilgrims for this year was distributed among various travel agents.
The interim order by the Court of Appeal came after a travel agent filed a petition, alleging that the Haj Committee had unjustly suspended their travel license for two years.
The petitioner, United Travels, argued that the committee's decision to suspend their license was arbitrary and based on collateral reasons.
The petitioner requested registration as a travel operator for 2024 and the suspension of the allocation made in December 2023.
Justice D.N. Samarakone's order included registering United Travels as a tour operator and suspending the previous allocation made by the Haj Committee, which excluded the petitioner's company.
Attorney-at-Law Hafeel Farisz and Shannon Thilekaratne represented the petitioner, while Hejaaz Hizbullah and Shifan Maharoof appeared for the Haj Committee, and Mihiri de Alwis represented the Attorney General.
