Two Sri Lankan ministers sacked over defection

COLOMBO, Aug 09 (AFP): Two government ministers who defected from Sri Lanka's main opposition were sacked from the cabinet Friday, after the Supreme Court upheld disciplinary action against them.

The decision came ahead of presidential elections next month, the first vote since the unprecedented economic crisis of 2022, when months of protests toppled then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The pair, tourism minister Harin Fernando and labour minister Manusha Nanayakkara, had switched sides to back President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is readying for the September 21 vote.