'Sacrifice Not Religious Requirement': HC Refuses To Stay Bengal Govt's Order On Cattle Slaughter

Key points

• 'Sacrifice Not Religious Requirement': HC Refuses To Stay Bengal Govt's Order On Cattle Slaughter Published By, Last Updated: May 21, 2026, 21:30 IST The court was hearing petitions seeking an exemption under Section 12 of the Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950, for performing the religious rituals during the festival.
• Rapid Read Senior lawyer Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, appearing for one petitioner, submitted before the court that the Act was framed in 1950, when agriculture was dependent on domestic animals, but at present, farming is technology-driven.
• (IMAGE: NEWS18 FILE) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday refused to stay a recent order by the West Bengal government for animal slaughter and directed the state to take a decision on the exemption for Eid al-Adha.
• A division bench presided by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul directed the state government to take a decision within 24 hours from the date of communication of this order, as...