 |  UNP said the minister has seriously breached the party's constitution |
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ruled that the United National Party's (UNP) decision to sack minister Rohitha Bogollagama from the party and hence to dismiss him from the parliament illegal. The SC ruled the UNP's decision null and void as Bogollagama's party membership was suspended without a disciplinary hearing. Minister Bogollagama, crossed over to United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in November to be given the ministerial portfolio of advanced technology and national enterprise development by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge . Lawyers representing the UNP argued that there was no need for a disciplinary hearing as the minister has seriously breached the party's constitution by joining the UPFA government. But the SC said if the party's constitution provides powers to dismiss its members without a fair hearing, it seriously breaches Sri Lanka's constitution. Rohitha Bogollagama is the only UNP parliamentarian to hold a UPFA portfolio. | 
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