"We have already sent a letter to the palace administration to pay the electricity dues of King Gyanendra and his family members," Minister of State for Water Resources Dina Aryal told the Press Trust of India.

"Though in the past, the government used to pay these bills, now as the king's powers have been sliced, the government is no more obliged to pay the sum," Aryal said.

However, Royal Palace staff member Sharad Bista said the Royal family's utility bills remain the government's responsibility.

"The government had been paying the bills of such utility services of the palace in the past and the law has not been changed in this regard as far as I know," he said.