This event comes in the backdrop of Minister of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation - Bandula Gunawardena appointing Mr. Indika Jayaratne for the post.

Mr. Jayaratne, the head of the SLBC Sinhala Service had also expressed his willingness to the ministry's additional secretary - Mrs. Ramani Gunawardena to accept the post.

He had received the appointment letter on Jan. 06.

However, on Dec. 26, the website of the SLBC had published a news item stating that Mr. Liyanage had obtained his appointment letter as the new SLBC DG from Mrs. Gunawardena.

However, Mr. Liyanage is an individual who had been accused of several malpractices while he worked as the DG of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation when Mahinda Rajapaksa was in office as president.

He also faces allegations of committing financial irregularities in President Mahinda Rajapaksa's presidential election campaign in 2015, and causing a loss of Rs. 990,000 to the government through the unwanted purchase of 600 iron pipes (GI pipes) for the Rupavahini Corporation.