Ulster Unionist Party officers are to appoint members of a disciplinary committee to hear the case of three dissident MPs.
Earlier this month, party officers voted to try to take disciplinary action against UUP president the Rev Martin Smyth, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson and Mr DavidBurnside.
The three MPs resigned the whip at Westminster last month in protest at the party's failure to completely reject proposals from the Irish and BritishGovernments on the future of the Belfast Agreement.
UUP sources today said they understood a shortlist of 18 names had been drafted of people eligible to serve on the disciplinary committee.
A previous attempt to suspend the MPs was overturned in the Belfast High Court because of the make-up of the disciplinary committee that heard the case andbecause it was improperly convened.
Ulster Unionist chief executive Alistair Patterson has been charged with the task of nominating party members who could serve on the committee.
UUP honorary secretary Arlene Foster condemned the move to form the panel. "When there was a previous attempt to take disciplinary action against the three I said it was wrong and vindictive," she said. "I still think that this move is wrong".
PA