The landmark judgement of the Supreme Court of India in the Vishakha case (Vishakha and Others v. State of Rajasthan, 1997) pertains to which of the following issues?

Introduction / Context:
The Vishakha case is one of the most important gender justice decisions of the Supreme Court of India. Before Parliament enacted a specific law on sexual harassment at the workplace, this case provided crucial guidelines to protect women employees from harassment and to hold employers responsible for maintaining a safe work environment. Exam questions frequently ask what subject this landmark judgement deals with.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question names the Vishakha case (Vishakha and Others v. State of Rajasthan, 1997).
• Options include sexual harassment at the workplace, Sati, dowry death, and rape.
• We assume awareness that the judgement led to the famous Vishakha Guidelines.
• The focus is on recognising the specific legal issue addressed by the Supreme Court in this case.

Concept / Approach:
In the Vishakha case, the Supreme Court responded to the absence of specific domestic law on sexual harassment at the workplace by framing detailed guidelines using constitutional provisions and international conventions such as CEDAW. These guidelines defined sexual harassment, laid down employer obligations, and required internal complaint mechanisms in workplaces. The decision thus addressed sexual harassment of women at the workplace and created binding standards until Parliament later enacted the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act. It did not primarily deal with Sati, dowry death, or the broader law of rape, although all these are related to women's safety in different ways.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Vishakha case is famous for the Vishakha Guidelines on workplace sexual harassment.Step 2: Understand that these guidelines were directed at employers and institutions to prevent and redress sexual harassment of women employees.Step 3: Recognise that Sati, dowry death, and rape are governed by different laws and case law, not by the Vishakha judgement specifically.Step 4: Compare the options and identify the one mentioning sexual harassment at the workplace and prevention guidelines.Step 5: Select that option as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Any standard Indian polity or law book that covers Supreme Court landmark judgements lists Vishakha as the case where guidelines on sexual harassment at the workplace were issued. The judgment is widely referred to in later legal and policy documents as the basis for institutional mechanisms to handle such complaints. Separate sections in exam guides cover legislation on Sati, dowry, and rape under different headings, confirming that these topics are not the primary subject of the Vishakha ruling.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• The practice of Sati: Laws banning Sati come from other statutes and cases, not from the Vishakha decision.
• Dowry death and cruelty by husband or relatives: These are addressed in sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Dowry Prohibition Act, not specifically by Vishakha.
• Criminal law relating to rape: While the Vishakha case touches on women's safety, major reforms on rape law came through different cases and amendments, such as those following the Nirbhaya case.

Common Pitfalls:
Because several high profile cases relate to violence against women, candidates may confuse them, especially if they remember only that a case is about women's rights. To avoid this, tie each case name to a simple keyword: Vishakha with workplace sexual harassment; Shah Bano with maintenance for divorced Muslim women; Nirbhaya with criminal law amendments on sexual offences, and so on. This mental mapping helps ensure that you pick the correct issue for each case name in MCQs.

Final Answer:
The Vishakha judgement pertains to sexual harassment of women at the workplace and the Supreme Court guidelines for its prevention and redressal.