Former Chief Justice Sarath N Silva seems to have violated the constitution of the country by functioning as the legal counsel of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Silva was a legal counsel of Rajapaksa when the latter gave a statement to the CID on August 17 on the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr. 

According to the constitution of Sri Lanka, a former Supreme Court or Court of Appeal judge cannot function as a private legal counsel of any party without written approval from the President. 

Article 110 of the constitution says a retired Supreme Court or Court of Appeal judge should turn any such request in the absence of written approval from the President.

When contacted by us, sources from the President's Office said Silva obtained no such approval from the President. 

Although Silva was a strong critique of the Rajapaksa administration at the time the former President fell out of power, he later aligned himself with the Rajapaksa family. 

When his relations with the former President was at a low, Silva went on record saying he made a mistake by releasing Rajapaksa in the 'Helping Hambantota' corruption case.