India, Sept. 15 -- The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a plea seeking to extend the law on prevention of sexual harassment at workplaces to political parties, holding that parties cannot be treated as "workplaces" and their members are not "employees."

A bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai, and also comprising Justices K Vinod Chandran and NV Anjaria, said adopting such an expansive view would open a "Pandora's box." "How do you declare a political party a workplace? Is there any employment there? When you join a political party, you do not get a job. There is no payment for your work," the bench said.

The court was hearing a special leave petition filed by advocate Yogamaya MG, through advocate-on-re...