New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India struck down a law on Tuesday that gave authorities powers to jail people for offensive online posts, a verdict hailed as a victory for free speech in the world’s largest growth market for the Internet.

Section 66A of the Information and Technology (IT) Act was challenged in the top court by law students, bloggers, writers and rights groups following arrests across the country for statements posted on social media sites.

Reuters reports, Justices Jasti Chelameshwar and Rohinton F. Nariman in their order said they found ‘the law hit at the root of liberty and freedom of expression’.

‘Our Constitution provides for liberty of thought, expression and belief. In a democracy, these values have to be provided within constitutional scheme. The law (Section 66A) is vague in its entirety,’ they said.

The petitioners argued the ‘draconian law’ introduced in 2008 by the last government was misused by politicians to hound critics.

What is Section 66A

‘Any person who sends by any means of a computer resource any information that is grossly offensive or has a menacing character; or any information which he knows to be false, but for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine.’

Conflict with constitution

Article 19(1)(a) of constitution: ‘All citizens shall have the right — (a) to freedom of speech and expression’

The Supreme Court said the section of the Information Technology Act violates the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech and expression.

Protection of consumers

Facebook (FB.O), Twitter (TWTR.N) and Google (GOOGL.O) did not immediately comment on the ruling but the Internet and Mobile Association of India, a trade body, said the ruling protected consumers and businesses.

‘This judgment will herald a new phase in the growth and evolution of the Internet in India,’ the group said in a statement that also hailed a separate part of the judgement that makes it harder to force websites to take down content.

Both local and foreign Internet companies have in the past faced pressure for hosting content deemed offensive in India, which Google predicts is scheduled to overtake the United States as having the world’s largest number of web users by 2018.

Inhibiting freedom of speech

Last week, police in Uttar Pradesh picked up a 16-year-old boy from his school for allegedly posting an insulting remark about the Samajwadi Party’s Azam Khan, the latest victim of a law that was also used to jail a cartoonist in Mumbai.

‘It is a big relief. My daughter was accused of posting offensive remarks and was arrested. I don’t think expressing one’s views is a crime,’ said Farooq Dhada.

Shaheen Dhada became a national celebrity after she questioned a labour shutdown after the funeral of Shiv Sena party chief Bal Keshav Thackeray in 2012.

Her friend Renu Srinivasan ‘liked’ the post and both were arrested.