NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition seeking direction to the Centre to take steps to curb fraudulent religious conversions in the country.

"Why should the court enter into this thicket? How can the court issue a writ of mandamus to the government," said a bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The lawyer, appearing for Karnataka-based PIL petitioner Jerome Anto, said Hindus and minors are being targeted and they are being converted 'fraudulently'.

"If there is a live challenge and someone is prosecuted then we can entertain," the bench said while dismissing the PIL."What kind of PIL is this? PIL has become a tool and everyone is coming up with petitions like these," it said.

On being argued where the petitioner should go with this kind of grievance, the bench said, "We are not in advisory jurisdiction. (The plea is) Dismissed ".