Sri Lankan Muslim legislators face expulsion

Sri Lanka's ruling coalition party has started action to sack from parliament seven Muslim legislators who defected from the government, costing it its majority.

The People's Alliance general secretary, D M Jayaratne, said the seven legislators have been asked to explain why they defected to the opposition, leaving President Chandrika Kumaratunga's government in crisis last month.

The parliament was later suspended for two months.

The seven members of the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress have a week to respond.

A BBC correspondent says a possible expulsion could be challenged in court within a month.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service