The Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal on Wednesday made it compulsory to obtain a certificate before slaughtering animals such as buffaloes, cows and bulls.
Under the new order, public slaughter of these animals has been prohibited, and authorities stated that officials conducting inspections to enforce the rules should not be obstructed.
According to the directive, the certificate must be issued jointly by the chairperson of a municipal body or a village sarpanch along with a government veterinary doctor. The document must certify that the animal is fit for slaughter, Scroll.in reported.
The order specifies that the animal must either be over 14 years old and no longer useful for labour or breeding, or permanently incapacitated due to age, injury, deformity or an incurable disease.
Authorities also stated that slaughtering can take place only at municipal slaughterhouses or locations officially designated by the administration.
Under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act of 1950, violations of the order could attract punishment of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to Rs 1,000, or both.
According to The Telegraph, unlike previous notifications, the latest order does not mention exemptions for slaughter carried out for religious, medicinal or research purposes.
The development came around two weeks before Eid al-Adha, also known as Bakrid, which is observed by Muslims as a festival symbolising sacrifice and is traditionally associated with animal slaughter, particularly goats.