What is meant by stop payment instruction?

It is an instruction provided by the customer to the bank to stop payment of the cheque. On receipt of instruction from the depositor, the bank notes the instructions in the system and when the cheque is presented for payment, payment is countermanded and not paid
The customer can provide such instruction on many grounds

• The payee should not receive payment
• The contract entered between the payee and the depositor had not been fulfilled
• The items received from the supplier (payee) are found to be defective

Who has to issue?

• In the case of individual accounts, the individual submits the representation
• In the case of joint accounts, anyone or all can send the representation
• In the case of proprietorship accounts, the proprietor issues the letter
• In the case of partnership firms, anyone or all partners can issue stop payment instructions to the banker
• In the case of companies, anyone of the authorised signatories can issue stop payment instructions to the banker 

https://www.quora.com/What-is-stop-payment-of-a-cheque/answer/Gauri-Sankar-2