Rule 4 - Destruction of documents. - Disposal of Records (In the Offices of the Registrar of Companies) Rules, 2003

Destruction of documents. 04. Subject to the previous order of the Registrar of Companies, the following records in his office may be destroyed after the expiration of the period of their preservation as specified below: (a) Records to be preserved for 35 years: (i) Register of Security Bonds; and (ii) Succession List of Officers. (b) Records to be preserved for 21 years: All papers, registers, refund orders and correspondence relating to the companies liquidation accounts. (c) Records to be preserved for 5 years: (i) Copies of Government orders relating to companies; (ii) All papers, registers, refund orders and correspondence relating to payment from companies unpaid dividend account under section 205A of the Act and all papers, statements, registers and abstracts relating to the amounts deposited in the fund established under section 205C of the Act; (iii) Registered documents of companies which have been fully wound up and finally dissolved together with correspondence relating to such companies; (iv) Papers relating to legal proceedings from the date of disposal of the case and appeal, if any; (v) Copies of statistical returns furnished to Government; (vi) All correspondence including correspondence relating to scrutiny of balance-sheets, prosecutions, reports to the Regional Directors and Company Law Board including inspections under section 209A of the Act, and the correspondence relating to complaints: Provided that in case of prosecution matters, the date is to be recorded from the date of disposal of the case and appeal, if any.