Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara have stepped down from their ministerial roles following a Supreme Court ruling on August 9. Fernando resigned as Minister of Tourism, Lands, Sports, and Youth Affairs, while Nanayakkara relinquished her position as Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment.
The resignations came after the Supreme Court upheld the decision by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to suspend the party membership of both ministers. The court dismissed their petition challenging the legality of their expulsion from the party, ruling that the SJB’s decision was lawful.
The SJB’s Working Committee had expelled Fernando and Nanayakkara on July 18, 2023, due to their acceptance of ministerial positions in the government despite the party’s disciplinary stance. The suspension of their party membership in May 2022 had led to their disqualification from holding parliamentary seats.
