Chikkaballapur District Magistrate issued a “no-entry” order on Thursday for those who wanted to enter Nandi Hills without casting their votes.

“By the powers vested in me under Section 144 of Cr Pc, as the District Magistrate, I hereby order that no person who has not voted will not be allowed to enter Nandi Hills on April 18,” read the order, a copy of which is available with DH. “The left forefinger of all those who wish to enter Nandi Hills will be checked…...”

While the Horticulture and Tourism Department officials insisted that the order was issued to encourage people to vote, it had brought down the number of visitors to the hill station. But those who cast their votes in the first phase elsewhere in the country and had been visiting the city as tourists enjoyed their time at the hills. Chikkaballapur MLA Sudhakar said he was not aware of the order.