Calcutta High Court upholds West Bengal cattle slaughter rules for Eid al-Adha

The Calcutta High Court has upheld a West Bengal government order imposing strict regulations on the slaughter of cattle ahead of the Eid al-Adha festival, while directing the state to decide within 24 hours on potential religious exemptions. A division bench declined to stay or set aside the May 13 notification, finding it consistent with existing law and previous judicial rulings.

The state's guidelines, issued under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act of 1950, prohibit the slaughter of bulls, bullocks, cows, calves, and buffaloes without a mandatory fitness certificate. The certificate can only be issued jointly by the chairperson of a municipality or president of a panchayat samiti and a government veterinary officer. It requires written agreement that the animal is over 14 years old and unfit for work or breeding, or is permanently incapacitated due to age, injury, deformity, or incurable disease. The order also bans slaughter in public places, restricting it to municipal or other designated slaughterhouses. Violations can result in up to six months imprisonment, a fine, or both.

The court observed that the May 13 notice was issued to implement a 2018 High Court...