Calcutta High Court Junks Pleas On West Bengal Cattle Slaughter Rules Ahead Of Bakr Eid

The Calcutta High Court refused to interfere with the West Bengal government’s notification restricting the slaughter of bulls, bullocks, cows, calves and buffaloes ahead of Bakr Eid next week. A division bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen observed that the notification was issued in compliance with earlier court directions that had already attained finality. The court also noted the Supreme Court’s earlier view that cow sacrifice is not an essential practice of Id-Uz-Zuha. However, the bench directed the state to decide within 24 hours on exemption requests under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act and asked authorities to assess certification mechanisms, infrastructure and officer availability for animal slaughter across the state.