■ By CS Sarrah H Katawala :
WHILE doing a business, the entrepreneur has to choose the structure
under which it
shall function.
The broad categories are soleproprietorship,
partnership firm
and corporate;
where partnership firm being
one of the most common types of
entity found in Maharashtra. It is
important to have a well-articulated partnership deed in place and
registering it with the Registrar of
Firms. Partnership Firm registration is governed under The Indian
Partnership Act, 1932 and it can be
registered online through the government website
https://rof.mahaonline.gov.in/.
Trademark, Udyam, GeM, Startup
India registration are some of the
registrations suggested for partnership firms for establishing its
credibility, building a brand and taking benefits of various government
schemes.
The registration helps to gain legal
recognition that is essential for legal
proceedings and business transactions, it ensures clarity in terms
of roles and responsibilities and
profit-sharing amongst the partners and enhance their credibility
with customers and financial institutions. Partners can file a suit of
action against third party or other
partners of the firm and secure a
solid foundation for their business
ultimately fostering trust and facilitating smoother operational
processes.
A well drafted partnership deed
not only ensures smooth operations
of the business but also helps in
mitigating potential risks and threats
in the business. If you are registering a partnership deed or already
have one in place then here are some
of the important clauses for you to
check in it other than the basic ones
like name and object of the firm:-
1) Capital contribution and profit
sharing clause which defines each
partner’s financial stake and reward
in the business. 2) Management
roles and responsibilities clause is
vital to ensure tasks are effectively
delegated, conflicts are better managed and accountability is
enhanced. 3) The Addition or
Removal of Partners Clause is imperative for adjusting the firm’s structure and resource pool to secure
operational stability. 4) Arbitration
clause is one of the most important
clauses, it saves cost and time as
compared to going into litigation
resulting in a quicker resolution
while maintaining privacy and confidentiality when a dispute arises.
However, since registration of
Partnership Firm is not compulsory in Maharashtra, there are lot of
people still working as unregistered
ones and thus not taking optimum
advantage as a partnership deed
that is not registered or is not drafted well is like a house without a
roof, having no safety or protection
for its users and limiting their potential and growth.
For details readers may contact
the author at sarrahkatawala@connect2comply.com.
( The author is a Practicing
Company Secretary and she may be
contacted at sarrahkatawala@connect2comply.com)