New Delhi, March 8 -- Striking a blow for citizens' freedom of expression, the Supreme Court Thursday overturned a criminal case against Professor Javed Ahmad Hajam. The professor, hailing from Baramulla in Kashmir and working in Maharashtra, faced legal action for terming the day of the withdrawal of Article 370's as a "black day" for Jammu and Kashmir in his WhatsApp status messages.

The Bench, comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan, asserted that labeling August 5 as a black day for J&K was an expression of the petitioner's individual perspective.

"It does not reflect any intention to do something which is prohibited under Section 153A. At best, it is a protest, which is a part of his freedom of speech and expression guar...