Colombo: The political crisis in Sri Lanka worsened today (Feb 11, 2004) with President Chandrika Kumaratunga sacking 39 Ministers in a move aimed at eroding the authority of her archrival Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The President, who has dissolved Parliament on Saturday and ordered fresh polls on April 2, three years ahead of schedule "has sacked 27 non-Cabinet Ministers and 12 Deputy Ministers," Presidential spokesman Janadasa Peiris said.

"In view of the dissolution of Parliament, I have decided to remove all non-Cabinet and Deputy Ministers by virtue of powers vested in me," Peiris quoted the President as saying in a statement.

Letters were being sent to junior ministers informing them of their removal, he said.

It is customary that when a Government is dissolved, all non-Cabinet rank Ministers lose their authority. The removal is a formal move.

The political crisis erupted when the President took over three of Wickremesinghe's Ministries last November.