The Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation on Tuesday said it has moved the Calcutta High Court against the decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal to invoke the state’s 1950 Animal Slaughter Control Act to “impose severe punitive restrictions on ritual sacrifice of livestock”.The Suvendu Adhikari-led government, in one of its first steps after coming to power in the state on May 4, said that the provisions of the Animal Slaughter Control Act will be strictly enforced.The provisions make it mandatory for persons to obtain a certificate before slaughtering animals such as buffaloes, cows and bulls. It also barred public slaughter of the animals and said officials carrying out inspections to enforce the order should not be obstructed.The certificate, which can be issued by the chairperson of a municipal body or a sarpanch, along with a government veterinary doctor, must confirm that the animals are suitable for slaughter. This document must also confirm that the animal is over 14 years old and no longer useful for work or breeding, or is permanently incapacitated because of age, injury, deformity or an incurable disease.The order did not provide exemptions for slaughter for religious, medicinal or research purposes, unlike earlier notices.The order came two weeks before Bakrid on May 27. Bakrid, also known as Eid-al-Adha, is a Muslim festival that commemorates the spirit of sacrifice. The festival is traditionally marked by the slaughtering of goats.On Tuesday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation described the tightening of the Animal Slaughter Control Act as “an assault” on the religious freedom of the Muslim community and “on the livelihood of farmers engaged in cattle trade [who are mostly from the Hindu community]”.The party also contended that this was an assault on the “freedom of citizens to eat according to their choice and on the culinary diversity of West Bengal”.The petition filed by the party in court is set to come up for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen, Live Law reported.Written by Leah Thomas. Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.