The Supreme Court today directed all regulatory bodies like Bar Council of India and Medical Council of India, which regulate different professions, to set up a committee to deal with all cases of sexual harassment at the workplace.

Expanding the ambit of its 1997 Vishaka verdict, a three-judge bench headed by Justice R M Lodha directed regulating bodies and all the institutions affiliated to them to implement the guidelines framed in the Vishaka case within two months.

The bench passed the order on a PIL, seeking its direction to expand the ambit of the 1997 verdict to include various other institutions.

The apex court in 1997 had framed guidelines to handle cases of sexual harassment at the workplace in government departments and PSUs.