A Public Limited Liability Company is owned by shareholders. These are individuals or entities that own shares in the company. Each share represents a portion of ownership, so the more shares an individual or entity owns, the more ownership they have in the company. Shareholders have the right to vote on important company matters, including the election of the board of directors and major company policies.
It is important to note that although the shares of a public limited liability company are available for purchase by the general public on the stock exchange, the term "general public" refers to potential or current investors and does not mean that the general public owns the company. Ownership is exclusively linked to those who buy shares, making them shareholders.
Neither the government nor debenture holders own the company. The government may regulate the company but does not hold ownership unless it has explicitly purchased shares. Debenture holders are lenders to the company, holding debt instruments rather than equity, so they do not have ownership rights. Their relationship with the company is typically based on the repayment of debt with interest, rather than ownership.