"Under Process of Striking Off" means the Registrar of Companies has issued or published notice under Section 248 of the Companies Act, 2013 proposing to remove the company's name from the register, either on its own motion (for example for not carrying on business or not filing for two financial years) or on the company's own application. Objections can be filed with the Registrar within the period stated in the public notice, usually 30 days. A supplier with unpaid dues should object with proof of the debt and act on the claim at once.
How the process works
When the Registrar acts on its own, it sends a notice to the company and directors (Form STK-1) and then publishes a public notice on the MCA website and in the Official Gazette (Form STK-5), with a period for objections. When the company applies itself, it files Form STK-2 with a statement of accounts, an affidavit and an indemnity from directors that all liabilities have been or will be met, and the Registrar publishes Form STK-6 inviting objections. While this runs, the master data status reads "Under Process of Striking Off". If no valid objection is accepted, the Registrar strikes the name off and publishes a notice of dissolution, and the status becomes "Strike Off".
What a supplier should do, step by step
- Download and save the MCA master data page showing the status and date.
- Find the public notice on the MCA website (strike-off notices are published by ROC) to see the deadline for objections.
- Prepare proof of the debt: invoices, purchase orders, delivery proof, ledger, any ledger confirmation or emails admitting dues.
- Send a written objection to the concerned Registrar of Companies, citing the company name, CIN, the notice and the amount due, with copies of documents. Keep the posting receipt or email proof.
- Send a legal notice demanding payment to the company and its directors at the same time.
- If a voluntary STK-2 application stated that the company had no liabilities, preserve that document: a false declaration is relevant to directors' liability.
Why timing matters
Before strike off, you are dealing with a live company: notice, suit, MSMED reference or Section 138 complaint all proceed normally. After strike off, the company is dissolved. The debt does not vanish, because Section 248(7) keeps the liability of directors, officers and members alive, but recovering it usually means first applying to the NCLT under Section 252 for restoration, which adds time and cost. An objection filed within the window is far cheaper.
Some promoters use voluntary strike off to walk away from suppliers. A director indemnity filed with STK-2 that ignores your dues is evidence in your favour.
Checking for it regularly
For any buyer with large or long credit, check the MCA status every quarter and before each big order. It takes a minute on mca.gov.in > MCA Services > Master Data > View Company or LLP Master Data. Also see MCA master data and strike-off company.
If a buyer's status has just changed, FundRaksha Legal can send the objection and the demand notice together within 24 hours. Book a free consultation if you are unsure of the deadline.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-20. Information for Indian businesses; not legal advice.