Fit certificate a must: Bengal govt issues new guidelines for animal slaughter

The West Bengal government has issued new guidelines prohibiting the slaughter of specific animals without an official “fit certificate,” while strictly banning animal slaughter in open public places. The state government warned that penal action will be taken against those who fail to adhere to these directions.

According to reporting by The Tribune on May 14, 2026, the guidelines apply to a specific list of animals, including cows, calves, bulls, bullocks, castrated bulls, as well as male and female buffaloes and buffalo calves.

Under the new regulations, no person is permitted to slaughter these animals unless they have obtained a certificate confirming the animal is fit for slaughter. The government specified that only animals meeting certain criteria qualify for this permission.

Eligible animals for slaughter are those that are above 14 years of age or those found to be permanently incapacitated. The guidelines list injury, deformity, age, or incurable disease as the qualifying conditions for incapacitation.

The responsibility for issuing the fit certificate is shared between local administrative leaders and medical professionals. The certificate must be issued jointly by a government veterinary surgeon and either the chairman of the municipality or the sabhapati of the concerned panchayat samiti.

Before granting permission, the relevant authorities are required to assess the physical condition and the age of the animal.

The government has provided a recourse for those denied a certificate. An aggrieved party may file an appeal with the state government within 15 days of receiving the communication of the refusal.

These guidelines were issued to ensure compliance with the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act of 1950. The state government noted that the measures were also implemented in light of a series of orders passed by the Calcutta High Court in 2018 and 2022.

The notice explicitly states the following requirement for the slaughter of the listed animals:

No person shall slaughter any animal, meaning (bulls, bullocks, cows, calves, male and female buffaloes, buffalo calves and castrated bulls) unless he has obtained in respect thereof a certificate that the animal is fit for slaughter. The Tribune