While asking the state government counsel to file an affidavit giving the details, a division bench comprising justices Y K Sabharwal and K S Gupta said that the court had on May 27 issued instructions to the government to discuss the matter with NDMC.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Indian National Trust for Art, Culture and Heritage (INTACH) challenging the renaming of Connaught Place and Connaught Circus. INTACH counsel Vijay Shankardass submitted that under the NDMC Act, neither the Central nor the state government had any power to change the name of a place which fell under the jurisdiction of the civic body.

INTACH has sought the preservation of the cultural heritage of Connaught Place. During an earlier hearing, the petitioner had contended that then CM Sahib Singh Verma had assured traders' organisations that the government was thinking of reverting to the original names. The Union Home Ministry had issued a notification on the renaming on August 18, 1995.

The Delhi administration and NDMC were directed to take necessary action in this regard. On the day the notification was issued by the Home Ministry, the council was not in existence and its powers were exercised by a special officer. The NDMC subsequently ratified the Home Ministry order on January 12, 1996.