LUCKNOW, Aug. 13 -- As many as 18,659 people from Uttar Pradesh have completed their forms and provisionally been selected for the Hajj 2026 pilgrimage. The state had received 20,969 registrations against an approved quota of 30,000 pilgrims before the August 7 deadline. For the first time, 1,147 applicants have opted for the 20-day 'Mini' or 'Short' Hajj instead of the 40-45 day trip.

Moradabad district recorded the highest number of applications at 2,090, followed by Meerut with 1,343 and Rampur with 1,084. Lucknow saw 811 applications.

UP Hajj committee chairman and minister of state for Minority welfare, Muslim Waqf and Hajj, Danish Azad Ansari said, "There is an increase of more than 5,000 applicants this time after the efforts of ...