The new road constructed connecting the Seruwawila Rajamaha Viharaya and the Somawathiya Rajamaha Viharaya, which is named after former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, was declared open by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa today (25).

The news bridge and road were vested in the people at the auspicious time of 9.30am as instructed by the Chief Incumbents of both temples.

The road was constructed under the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, at a cost of around Rs 400 million, and named as ‘Sarath Nanda Silva Mawatha’.

Serving as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka from 1999 – 2009, Silva was a much talked about figure owing to several controversial rulings and appointments made by him during his tenure.

He famously backed former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka during the Presidential Election in 2010 and due to his controversial statements in the political stage was then the topic of many a government politicians.

A group of judges who had allegedly been victimised by Sarath N. Silva during his tenure as Chief Justice had also decided to go before a Parliament Select Committee to testify against him.

However, during the debate over the impeachment of then Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake Silva had made comments in support of the impeachment process, giving way to rumors that he will join the government.

Sarath N Silva was quoted by state television as saying that the investigations carried out in respect of the impeachment against the Chief Justice and the report that had been released, was constitutional.

Then in a deviation from his initial position, Sarath N. Silva disapproved of the impeachment process terming it as “the bulldozing of Shirani Bandaranayake from office” and had also objected to former Attorney General Mohan Peiris succeeding Bandaranayake.