Colombo - Sri Lanka's president has dissolved parliament, hours before a no-confidence vote which her defection-hit minority government seemed certain to lose.
Eight lawmakers defected from the ruling coalition yesterday, depriving the government of a majority and leaving President Chandrika Kumaratunga with little choice but to call a snap election, just one year after the last parliamentary polls.
"Parliament is dissolved and the election likely to be early December," said a senior government official.