Chairman of the Independent Television Network (ITN) Rosmand Senaratne has been removed from his position with immediate effect, government sources confirmed Asian Mirror.

Anura Siriwardena, who was previously the Chairman of ITN and presently the Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, is likely to be appointed as the new Chairman of the state-run television network.

The exact reasons which led to Senaratna’s removal are still not clear. He is a veteran TV and radio personality who has been in the field of journalism in Sri Lanka for four and a half decades. An old boy of Ananda College, Colombo, Senaratne  joined the then Radio Ceylon on the 8th of September 1966 as a Technical Officer.

He has also worked as a senior technical officer at ITN from 1980 to 1982.

A senior staff member of the ITN said Senaratne has been removed on the grounds that Senaratne has failed to carry out certain directives related to the UPFA’s campaign activities for the Uva Provincial Council elections.

Meanwhile, it is also reported that several allegations have been leveled against Senaratne over financial irregularities and misappropriation. Government sources said they had received numerous complaints on issues pertaining to teledramas that were aired on ITN during Senaratne's time. They also added that there were various complaints on questionable transactions pertaining to the construction of a new studio for the ITN. The government has received complaints with regard to several purchases that have been made beyond the recommendations of technical evaluators.