Close / Strike Off Public Limited Company

Closing a Public Limited Company in India is a more complex and regulated process than closing a Private Limited Company, due to the involvement of public shareholders, creditors, and in the case of listed companies, SEBI. The primary routes are: (1) Voluntary Liquidation under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016 — where the company is solvent and shareholders want to wind up; (2) Compulsory Winding Up by NCLT under Section 271 of the Companies Act — for insolvent companies or on public interest grounds; (3) Fast Track Strike Off via STK-2 under Section 248 — only if the company has never commenced business or has been inactive for 2+ years with nil assets/liabilities. The entire process involves clearing all dues to employees, creditors, and government, liquidating assets, distributing surplus to shareholders, and filing final forms with the ROC. The timeline ranges from 6 months (voluntary liquidation of simple companies) to 24+ months (complex NCLT proceedings).