Some of the biggest institutional shareholders of Vodafone, the largest mobile telecommunications network company in the world, are planning to expel four or five of its main board directors including NRI CEO Arun Sarin.

The investors, who have not been placated by plans to return a further £9 billion to shareholders, now plan to vote against the re-election of the directors at the annual meeting to be held next month.

Arun Sarin has been under pressure for many months. Vodafone’s retarded growth in the past has made many investors put forward their concerns. It hugely loss-making foray into Japan and its increasing requirement to spend billions of pounds on acquisitions has also been giving investors, sleepless nights.