NEW DELHI, Jan. 30 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to direct the government to formally include domestic workers in the scheduled employments under labour laws, observing that "regressive methods" of trade unions had been largely responsible for stalling industrial growth in the country and forcing the closure of factories. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi said that courts were extremely circumspect in matters involving economic and labour policy and could not step into the legislative domain by directing governments to enact or expand statutory frameworks. At the same time, the bench acknowledged the vulnerability and harassment faced by domestic workers and "impressed upon" states and Union territories to evolve a "suitable mechanism" for their welfare, while making it clear that no enforceable mandate could be issued by the court. The petition had been filed jointly by 10 organisations representing domestic workers and informal sector labourers from different states, seeking directions to treat domestic work as scheduled employment, thereby entitling workers to minimum wages, fixed working hours and social security benefits. Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran appeared for the petitioners. The bench repeatedly flagged what it described as the damaging role of trade unions in India's industrial landscape.P6...