- Until the new Speaker is chosen for the 18th Lok Sabha, Congress leader Kodikunnil Suresh, the seniormost member of the Lok Sabha, is expected to be appointed as the pro-tem Speaker to swear in the new Members of Parliament.
- The role of the pro-tem Speaker is to temporarily fulfil the duties of the Speaker, including administering oaths to new MPs.
- The Constitution, while not specifically mentioning the pro-tem Speaker, outlines this role in the ‘Handbook on the Working of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.’
- The pro-tem Speaker is appointed by the President and is responsible for swearing in new MPs under Article 99 of the Constitution.
- As soon as the new government is formed, the Legislative I Section of the Government of India prepares a list of the seniormost Lok Sabha members. It is then submitted to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs or the Prime Minister for identifying an MP as Speaker pro-tem and another three members for oath-taking.
- After the President’s approval, the Ministry informs the appointees about their roles.
- The President administers the oath to the Speaker pro-tem, who then administers oaths to the new MPs with the help of the other three appointed members.
- This process usually takes place on the morning of the first session day.
Dig Deeper: Tradition of appointment of seniormost MP as Pro-tem speaker is sourced from which country?
