West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Rules, 1950

The West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Rules, 1950.

1. These rules may be called the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Rules, 1950.

2. Application for certificate – Applications from persons for obtaining certificates for slaughter of animals shall be made to the Vety. Assistant Surgeon concerned In Form 1 appended to those rules.

3. Form of certificate – The certificate to be issued to a person to the effect that the animal is fit for slaughter, shall be in Form II appended to these rules and shall be valid till the day following the date of issue.

4. Fee for certificate – A fee of rupee one per animal shall be paid in non-judicial stamps and shall be filed before the certificate is Issued.

5. Place for slaughter of animals – No animal in respect of which a certificate to has been issued shall be slaughtered at a place other than the municipal slaughter house maintained by the Commissioner of a municipality within the municipal areas concerned.

6. Branding of animals fit for slaughter – The animals certified to be fit for slaughter shall be branded and no animal unless so branded shall be allowed to enter the slaughter house.

7. Conditions subject to which exemption may be granted – The provisions of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950 (West Bengal Act XXII of 1950) shall not apply to the slaughter of any animal for religious, medicinal or research purposes subject to the condition that such slaughter does not affect the religious sentiment of the neighbours of the person or persons performing such slaughter and that the previous permission of the State Govt. or any officer authorised by it is obtained before the Slaughter.

8. Control of slaughter of animals by Vety. Officers end Vety. Assistant Surgeons – Vety. Officers’ and Vety. Assistant Surgeons shall attend slaughter houses to control the slaughter of animals under the authority given in this behalf by the Director of Vety. Services, West Bengal, respectively, in Forms III and IV appended to these rules.

9. Submission of fortnightly statement relating to slaughter of animals – The Vety. Asstt. Surgeon attending a slaughter house shall submit to the Director of Vety. Services, a fortnightly statement in Form V appended to these rules during the next fortnight showing the number of certificates issued for slaughtering animals at that slaughter house during the previous fortnight.

(3) Where there is a difference of opinion between the President of a municipality and the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon as to the issue of a certificate under sub-section (2), the matter shall be referred to the Veterinary Officer and a certificate shall be issued or refused according as the Veterinary Officer is of opinion that the animal is fit to be slaughtered or in not no fit.

(4) Where under sub-section (3) a certificate is issued or refused, the order granting or refusing the issue of the certificate shall be signed by the Veterinary Officer.

(5) Any person aggrieved by the refusal to issue a certificate under this section may, within fifteen days from the date of communication to him of such refusal, appeal to the State Govt. against the order of refusal and the State Govt. may pass such orders thereon an it thinks fit.

(6) The State Govt. may at any time for the purpose of satisfying itself an to the legality or propriety of any action taken under this section, call for and examine the record of any case, and may pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit.

(7) Subject to the provisions of this section any action taken under this section shall be final and shall not be called in question in any court.

5. Prohibition of slaughter of animals in places not prescribed for the purpose – No animal in respect of which a certificate has been issued under section 4 shall be slaughtered in any place other than a place prescribed in this behalf.

6. Power to enter and inspect premises – (1) For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Act, the President of a municipality or the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon or any person, authorised by the Vety. Assistant Surgeon in writing in this behalf, shall have power to enter and inspect any promises within the local limits of his jurisdiction where he has reason to believe that an offence under this Act has been or is likely to be committed.

(2) Every person in occupation of any such premises is specified in sub-section (1) shall allow the resident of a municipality, the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon or the person authorised as the case may be such access to the premises as he may require for the aforesaid purpose, and shall answer any question put to him by the President of a municipality or the Veterinary Assistant Surgeon or the person authorised, as the case may be, to the best of his knowledge or belief.

7. Penalties – Whoever contravenes any of the provisions contained in this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

8. Offences to be cognizable – Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898), all offences under this Act shall be cognizable.

9. Abutments and attempts – Whoever abets any offence punishable under this Act or attempts to commit any such offence shall be punished with the punishment provided in this Act for such offence.

10. Officers exercising powers under this Act deemed to be public servants – All Presidents of municipalities, Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, Veterinary Officers and other persons exercising powers under this Act shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (Act XLV of 1960).

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