Petitions moved in Cal HC seeking exemption of Animal Slaughter Control Act for Eid al-Adha

Petitions were moved before the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday seeking an exemption under Section 12 of Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, for observation of Eid al-Adha next week in view of certain restrictions imposed by the new BJP government in West Bengal.

The petitions, which were moved before a division bench presided by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul, will be heard on Thursday, the court said after the newly-appointed state lawyer prayed for time to study the petitions.

One of the petitions filed by TMC MLA Akhrurzamman sought an exemption of the Act under Section 12, vide which the state government can allow such exemption, party MP Mahua Moitra, who was present in court, said.

''We have filed a petition seeking exemption under Section 12 of Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, for which a notification has been given on May 13 and since the festival of Bakri Eid is to be held either on May 27 or 28,'' she told reporters outside the court.

In a notification, the West Bengal government issued a set of guidelines barring animal slaughter without a ''fit certificate'' from authorities and warned of penal action if the directions are not followed.

The state also made it clear that animal slaughter in open public places would be ''strictly prohibited''.

The guidelines, the government said, were in compliance with the Animal Slaughter Control Act of 1950 and issued in the light of a series of orders passed by the Calcutta High Court in 2018 and 2022.

Stating that the government can give an exemption under Section 12, Moitra said they have asked for the same to allow for ''bullocks, bulls and buffaloes for the purpose of this festival.''.

Section 12 of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950 grants the state government the power to issue exemptions.

She claimed that with ten days left for the festival and many poor families preparing for this the whole year, a very large part of the rural economy has been destabilised owing to the notification.

Moitra said that there are cow rearers who suddenly have nowhere to go and that this is one of the two most important festivals of the Muslim community.

She said that on these issues, they have moved the prayer before the high court seeking an order of exemption.

The matter will be heard along with other petitions in this regard on Thursday.

In another petition, lawyer Sudipto Dasgupta appeared before the court representing an association that said they are ready to accept the provisions of the 1950 Act, provided there is adequate infrastructure.

He said that the petitioner in the matter claimed that since infrastructure is not ready and there is a lack of doctors to certify the age and health of the animals, they should be allowed to perform the sacrifices as earlier this year and urged that adequate infrastructure be put in place before the Bakri Eid to be held next year.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)