Lok Sabha Question No. 36 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-25
Subject: Action Taken against Defaulter Companies
Ministry: CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri S Venkatesan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 36

ANSWERED ON MONDAY, 25 TH  NOVEMBER 2024/

Agrahayana 4, 1946 (Saka)

Action Taken against Defaulter Companies

36. Shri S Venkatesan  :

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS कारपोरेटकार्यमंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  registered  companies  exists  in  the  country  as  on date;
- (b)  the  number of registered companies which have not filed returns with Audited Statements during the last five years;
- (c) the details of action taken against such defaulting companies; and
- (d) the number of companies which were detected as Shell companies or indulged in money laundering?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs; Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

(Shri Harsh Malhotra)

- (a) The number of registered companies as on 14 th November, 2024 is 27,75,567  and  the  number  of  active  companies  in  India  as  on  14 th November, 2024 is 17,83,418.

Condt...2...

- (b) The number of Companies who have not filed the Annual Returns and Audited Financial Statements during the last five years are shown below:
- (c) & (d) : Registrar of Companies  take action against the defaulting companies  who  fail  to  file  their  Annual  Returns  and  /or  Financial Statements by either filing prosecution under sections 92, 96, 99, 137 of  the  Companies  Act,  2013  or  by  striking  off  the  name  of  the companies under section 248(1) of the Companies Act, 2013 read with the Companies (Removal of names of companies from the Register of Companies)  Rules,  2016.  Further,total  322  prosecutions  have  been filed  during  the  last  five  years  against  the  defaulting  companies  and total  1,39,136  companies  have  been  struck  off  for  non-filing  their Annual Returns and audited Financial Statements. There is no definition of  'Shell  Company' under  the  Companies  Act.  However, action  is  taken  against  companies  for  diversion,  siphoning  or  fraud etc. as the case may be, whenever a contravention of the Companies Act, 2013 is found.

| Financial Year   | No. of Companies who have not filed Financial Statements   | No. of companies who have not filed Annual Returns   |
|------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|
| 2018-19          | 1,79,697                                                   | 1,75,034                                             |
| 2019-20          | 2,18,237                                                   | 2,19,854                                             |
| 2020-21          | 2,61,785                                                   | 2,58,961                                             |
| 2021-22          | 3,70,886                                                   | 3,70,021                                             |
| 2022-23          | 5,30,076                                                   | 5,14,343                                             |

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