The correct answer is unlimited. In a public liability company, there is no maximum limit on the number of shareholders that can be involved.
This means that a public liability company can have as many shareholders as it wants or needs. Unlike other types of companies, such as private limited companies, which often have restrictions on the number of shareholders they can have, public liability companies are open to the public and allow anyone to buy shares in the company.
The main reason for not having a maximum limit on the number of shareholders in a public liability company is to provide opportunity for a wide range of investors to invest in the company.
This allows the company to raise a larger amount of capital and have more diverse ownership. Having an unlimited number of shareholders also helps in spreading the risk among a larger pool of investors.
If one shareholder decides to sell their shares or withdraw from the company, there are still many other shareholders remaining, which helps maintain stability and continuity in the company's ownership structure.
Therefore, in a public liability company, there is no restriction on the number of shareholders, and it can have as many shareholders as it wants or needs to effectively operate and grow the business.