Chinese state media say disgraced politician Bo Xilai, who is at the center of China's biggest political scandal in decades, has been kicked out of the country's Communist Party and will “face justice.”

The official Xinhua news agency said Bo, once considered a rising star in Chinese politics, has been expelled from public office and his case has been transferred to “relevant judicial organs” for “suspected law violations.”

Xinhua said the long-awaited announcement regarding Bo's fate was made following a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party's Central Committee on Friday.

In a separate article, Xinhua also said the 18th Party Congress, which will begin the sensitive process of transferring power to a new generation of leaders, will convene on November 8.

The scandal surrounding Bo Xilai has complicated the tightly scripted Communist Party power transfer, since Bo had widely been expected to attain a top position in the new leadership.

Bo, who has not been seen or heard from in months, was stripped of his party posts earlier this year when authorities became aware of allegations that his wife, Gu Kailai, was involved in the murder of a British businessman.

Gu has since been convicted of poisoning the businessman, Neil Heywood, and is serving a suspended life sentence. Bo's former right-hand man and ex-police chief, Wang Lijun, was also sentenced to 15-years in jail after being convicted of trying to cover up the murder.