Why in the News?

• The 18th Lok Sabha will convene its first session very soon. A new Speaker of the House will be elected during this session.
  • Until the election of the new Speaker, a pro-tem Speaker will be appointed to administer the oath to the new Members of Parliament.

Who is a Pro-tem Speaker?

• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha oversees the day-to-day proceedings of the House.
• According to Article 94 of the Indian Constitution, the outgoing Speaker continues in office until the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha.
• A pro-tem Speaker is appointed temporarily to manage certain duties until the new Speaker is elected.
• The Constitution does NOT mention explicitly about the post.
  • However, the ‘Handbook on the Working of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs provides guidelines on the appointment and duties of the Speaker pro-tem.
• Functions:
  • The primary duty of the pro-tem Speaker is to administer oaths to the new MPs, as mandated by Article 99 of the Constitution.

Appointment of the Pro-tem Speaker

• When the Speaker’s post is vacant before the new Lok Sabha convenes, the PRESIDENT appoints a Member of the House as the Speaker pro-tem.
  • The President administers the oath to the Speaker pro-tem at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
• Generally, three other elected members of the Lok Sabha are also appointed by the President to assist in the oath-taking process.
• The SENIORMOST members, in terms of years of service, are usually chosen for this role, though there can be exceptions.

Process of Administering Oaths

• The Legislative I Section of the Government of India prepares a list of the seniormost Lok Sabha members after the formation of the new government.
• This list is submitted to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs or the Prime Minister, who identifies the Speaker pro-tem and the three other members for oath-taking.
• After the Prime Minister’s approval, the consent of the selected members is obtained by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, usually over the telephone.
• The Minister then submits a note to the President seeking approval for the appointments and the date and time for the swearing-in ceremony.
• Upon the President’s approval, the Ministry informs the Speaker pro-tem and the other members about their appointments.
• The Speaker pro-tem then administers the oath to the other three members in the Lok Sabha.

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