law: The Joint-stock Companies Act, 1857
  II. Penalty on partnerships exceeding a certain number.-
  Not more than twenty persons shall after the first day of January 1858 carry on in partnership, in any part of the territories in the possession and under the Government of the East India Company, any trade or business having gain for its object, unless they are registered as a Company under this Act, or are authorised so to carry on business by an Act of Parliament, or by Royal Charter or Letters Patent, or by an Act of the Governor General of India in Council; and if any persons carry on business in partnership contrary to this provision, every person so acting shall be severally liable for the payment of the whole debts of the partnership, and may be sued for the same without the joinder in the action or suit of any other members of the partnership.