India's top court on Tuesday canceled a controversial law that made posting "offensive" comments online a crime punishable by jail, a ruling which free speech campaigners hailed as a victory.

The Supreme Court said the 2009 amendment to India's Information Technology Act, known as section 66A and widely criticized as a draconian limit on freedom of speech, was unconstitutional.

"Section 66A is unconstitutional and we have no hesitation in striking it down," said Justice R.F. Nariman, reading out the judgment. "The public's right to know is directly affected by section 66A."