Fit certificate mandatory, six months jail, ₹1,000 fine: New animal slaughter rules in Bengal

Violations can lead to up to six months imprisonment, a fine of up to ₹1,000, or both; offences are cognisable.

The West Bengal government notified a new set of guidelines for animal slaughter under the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, issued in light of Calcutta High Court orders from 2018 and 2022. The rules ban slaughter in open public spaces and require a ‘fit certificate’ from authorities for slaughter, to be issued jointly by the municipal chairman or panchayat sabhapati and a government veterinary surgeon. Certificates require assessment of age and physical condition; if denied, an appeal can be filed within 15 days to the state government. Slaughter is limited to animals deemed permanently incapacitated or over 14 years old and must occur only in designated slaughterhouses. Violations carry up to six months in jail, fines up to ₹1,000, or both, and are cognisable offenses.

Calcutta High Court issued further orders related to animal slaughter in 2022.

Calcutta High Court issued orders related to animal slaughter, forming part of the background for the state’s later guidelines.