The Supreme Court on Thursday with a five-judge panel decriminalized homosexuality by partially tearing down the colonial era provisions of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The bench was headed by five Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, along with Justice Fali Nariman, Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice Indu Malhotra and Justice Khanwilkar.

The petition against the ban was heard by the Supreme Court since July, which started with an emotional debate over the right to freedom and privacy. The hearing of the supreme court has largely given hope to the gay community.

Denial of self-expression is like death. ''Section 377 is irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary,'' says CJI, the first judge to read out his verdict.

There was a batch of petitions filed, including the lead one filed by hotelier Keshav Suri, who argued that the right to sexual orientation is meaningless without the right to choose a partner. The judgment of decriminalizing Section 377 which is a minority section of people happy for being homosexual.

Many celebrities and politicians also reacted on the Supreme Court’s verdict:

Here is what Karan Johar had to say in his tweet “Historical judgment!!!! So proud today! Decriminalising homosexuality and abolishing #Section377 is a huge thumbs up for humanity and equal rights! The country gets its oxygen back!”

“So pleased to learn that the SupremeCourt has ruled against criminalizing sexual acts in private. This decision vindicates my stand on Section 377& on exactly the same grounds of privacy, dignity &constitutional freedoms. It shames those BJP MPs who vociferously opposed me in LS.” tweeted Shashi Tharoor.