Constitutional law expert and senior counsel KK Venugopal has represented the Travancore royal family in the Supreme Court, submitting that they did not intend to claim possession over the contents of the “public temple” that may be worth up to $22bn.

The Bombay High Court has held in a recent land mark judgment on the cost of imported wines that state governments are not required to comply with the understanding between nations under international treaties unless the legislature enacts a law to reflect the principles agreed under such treaties.