As the crisis over the controversial oil hedging grew, the Supreme Court on Friday asked that Minister of Petroleum Resources A.H.M. Fowzie be stripped of his portfolio and for President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take over the ministry and consider appointing another minister. The court also ordered the immediate suspension of Asantha de Mel, chairman of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and for the Treasury Secretary to act as the Chairman. The case will resume on December 10. |