‘Repeat pilgrims not be allowed’: New rules include ban on repeat pilgrims registering with HCoI

The Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India has announced that pilgrims can register only once with the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) for the 2025 Haj pilgrimage, which corresponds to the 1446 Hijri Islamic year.

The pilgrimage is scheduled from May to June 2025, with registrations beginning in September 2024.

According to the 31-point policy, 70% of India’s Haj quota allocated by Saudi Arabia will be distributed through the HCoI, while the remaining quota will go to registered private Haj operators. The specific quota allocation will be announced later this year.

Haj, one of Islam’s five pillars, will be held during peak summer in 2025, similar to this year’s pilgrimage, which concluded on June 19. Extreme temperatures this year, reaching up to 51.8°C, resulted in around 1,300 casualties, including nearly 100 Indians.

The 2025 Haj will be the last held during peak summer for the next 17 years, as the pilgrimage will shift to cooler months due to the Hijri year’s cycle of 354 or 355 days.

Pilgrims can fill out Haj application forms through the HCoI website (hajcommittee.gov.in), which is also accessible via mobile phones. In States and UTs where the number of applications exceeds the quota, pilgrims will be selected provisionally by a Qurrah (draw of lots). Priority will be given to those aged 65 and above, followed by women without a Mehram below 65 years, and then the general category while repeat pilgrims will not be allowed to use the HCoI quota, except in specific circumstances.

The policy draft outlines a 40 to 45-day stay in Saudi Arabia, with accommodation units in Makkah secured for the entire Haj season. In case of death due to natural causes or accidents during the Haj period, burial rituals will follow the prevailing practices in Saudi Arabia.

The policy also specifies that pilgrims cannot file complaints under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, for any deficiencies or acts of commission/omission by the HCoI, as it operates on a ‘no profit-no loss’ basis and is not covered by the law.