Kolkata, May 21: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to interfere with the West Bengal government’s recent notification regulating the slaughter of bulls, bullocks, cows, calves and buffalos ahead of Bakr Eid (Eid al-Adha), observing that the directions were in line with earlier court orders.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen dismissed petitions challenging the May 13 public notice issued under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act.
“This is also not in dispute that the order passed by the coordinate Bench in WP 328 of 2018 has attained finality. In this view of this matter, we find no basis to stay or set aside the public notice dated 13.05.2026,” the Bench said.
The State government’s notification had stated that bulls, bullocks, cows, calves and buffalos cannot be slaughtered without certification declaring them unfit. It further specified that certified unfit animals could only be slaughtered in authorised slaughterhouses and empowered authorities to inspect premises to prevent illegal animal slaughter.
While declining to stay the notification, the High Court directed the State to examine whether adequate infrastructure and mechanisms exist for issuance of certificates under the law.
“In addition, whether responsible officers are in place in the State for issuing such certificate and whether the necessary infrastructure is at place in the entire State where slaughter can take place,” the Bench observed, adding that any deficiencies should be addressed promptly.
One of the petitions, filed by Trinamool Congress MLA Akhruzzaman, argued that the notification effectively prevented Muslims from performing religious animal sacrifice during Eid because the State had not exercised exemption powers under Section 12 of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act.
Section 12 empowers the government to allow exemptions for slaughter of animals for religious purposes under specified conditions.
The plea contended that larger animals such as buffaloes, bulls and bullocks remain the only economically feasible option for many Muslims, particularly due to rising prices of goats and sheep before Bakr Eid.
Another petition sought stricter provisions, including an explicit ban on animal slaughter in open public spaces and clarification that cow sacrifice is not a mandatory religious practice under Islam.
The High Court noted that the Supreme Court had already ruled that cow sacrifice is not an essential religious requirement during Eid-ul-Zuha.
“We find no difficulty in directing the State to consider amendment of the impugned notice by inserting aforesaid two conditions forthwith,” the Bench directed.
At the same time, the Court permitted the State government to independently consider granting exemptions under Section 12 and ordered a decision within 24 hours, considering that Eid festivities are expected on May 27 or 28.
Senior advocates Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee and Shadan Farasat appeared for petitioners, while Additional Solicitor General Ashok Kumar Chakraborty represented the Union government.
— With inputs from Bar & Bench
