"The court order has been received and its compliance will be ensured," State Home Secretary R M Srivastava told PTI in Lucknow on Wednesday. He said about 2800 gunners had been provided to private persons and the government had started the review process.

"We will have to see who are covered by the court order," he said. In reply to a question Srivastava said, he did not know the number of student leaders enjoying the service. The court had in its order on Tuesday said that having gunners had become a status symbol, and directed the state government to withdraw such facilities from all ineligible private persons including certain student leaders and political workers.

The court had also directed the home secretary to file an affidavit of compliance by December 15.

The court had observed that no exception could be made on the ground that there was some threat to the life of the person to provide security when he had criminal antecedents.

"Likewise no person can be provided security on the mere desire or direction of the chief minister or any other authority. Security has to be provided strictly in accordance with the objective and fair norms laid down in the government orders," the judges had said.

State governor T V Rajeswar had also recently castigated the police for providing gunners to the student leaders with criminal backgrounds. Lucknow University vice-chancellor R P Singh had also demanded that security provided to the student leaders with criminal antecedents be withdrawn.