Pro-Tem Speaker in Parliament: Who is a Pro-Tem Speaker? Appointment, duties, roles

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday administered oath to BJP member Bhratruhari Mahtab as 'speaker pro-tem' of the newly-constituted 18th Lok Sabha. A seven-time MP, Mahtab, along with a panel of chairpersons was appointed by the President on June 20.

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on June 24 and a Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be chosen during the session. Till the Speaker is elected, the Pro-Tem Speaker will preside over the House. Pro-tem essentially means "for the time being" in Latin. There is no mention of the post in the Constitution. However, the official "Handbook on the Working of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs" refers to the "Appointment and Swearing in of Speaker pro tem."

The role of the pro-tem Speaker is to maintain conduct in the Parliament until the Speaker is chosen. The pro-tem speaker's primary responsibility is to give newly elected members of the house the oath of office. Additionally, he permits the House to choose a new speaker. When a Speaker is chosen, the office of the pro-tem Speaker gets dissolved.

The Lok Sabha and legislative assembly members agree on the selection of a pro-tem speaker. The position is often filled by the most senior member of the House, who serves in that capacity until a permanent Speaker is appointed.

Even though tradition is to choose the seniormost member of the House as pro-tem Speaker, seven-time MP B Mahtab was appointed to the post instead of Congress' K Suresh, who is an eight-time MP. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that K Suresh was not chosen because he was a Dalit. On June 24, INDIA bloc leaders carried out a protest holding copies of the Constitution inside the Parliament.