“We are sure that different perceptions can be expressed in better language … State authority should never be used to intimidate a political opinion, or journalists suffer the consequences of what is already in the public domain. We hasten to add that this does not take the responsibility of journalists out of the way they report the affairs, all the more so in a “Twitter age,” said a bank of judges SK Kaul and MM Sundresh while they were those of the West Bengal Police Submitted FIRs suppressed journalists from the media portal OpIndia.com.

Although the verdict was pronounced on Thursday, the detailed order wasn’t uploaded to the court’s official website until Friday.

The state government told the court on Thursday that it is withdrawing the FIRs and the court may be able to overturn them. Although welcoming the gesture, the court added that it did not want to miss the opportunity to say something that worries it and society.

The court said there was “undoubtedly the humiliation of dialogue that requires introspection of the political class across the country”.

It added that “in a country that prides itself on its diversity, there are bound to be different perceptions and opinions, including political opinions. That is the essence of a democracy. “

The court pointed out that the petitioners merely “reproduced what the political class has argued against each other and what is already in the public domain”.

The court welcomed the state’s stance, saying it should “be an example for others to follow”.

The appointment was made at the request of OpIndia editor Nupur J Sharma, her husband Vaibhav Sharma, the founder and CEO of the portal Rahul Roushan and the former editor of the Hindi section, Ajeet Bharti.

In June 2020, the Supreme Court held three FIRs registered by the West Bengal Police in connection with some news published by the portal. A fourth FIR was then registered, but the court suspended it in September 2021.