Supreme Court on Tuesday (5) said that due process was not followed in expelling Former Minister of Health Tissa Attanayake from the United National Party.

It announced this determination a short while ago, when the petition filed by Attanayake was considered.

Attanayake, a former UNP General Secretary, pledged support to then President Mahinda Rajapaksa on December 8, 2014, ahead of the Presidential Election in January 2015.

On December 11, 2014, he was appointed as Health Minister by President Rajapaksa. He lost his ministerial portfolio after Rajapaksa was defeated in the election on January 8, 2015.

He was expelled from the UNP following a decision taken by its working committee on February 9.

Attanayake lodged a petition at the Supreme Court challenging his expulsion on March 06.