After the general elections, the Pro tem Speaker is

1. Presiding Officers of the Lok Sabha: An Overview (basic)

To understand how the Lok Sabha (the House of the People) functions, we must first look at who leads it. Each House of Parliament has its own presiding officers to ensure order and decorum. In the Lok Sabha, these roles are filled by the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker. Additionally, a Panel of Chairpersons is appointed to step in when both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are absent Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.229.

A fascinating aspect of Indian parliamentary democracy is the continuity of the Speaker's office. When the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker does not vacate their office immediately. Instead, they remain in office until just before the first meeting of the newly elected Lok Sabha. This ensures that the House is never without a formal head. However, since the Speaker vacates just before the new House meets, a temporary presiding officer is needed to start the proceedings. This person is known as the Speaker Pro Tem Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.232.

The Speaker Pro Tem is a temporary office with very specific duties:

• Appointment: Under Article 95(1), the President of India appoints a member of the Lok Sabha to this role. By convention, the senior-most member is usually chosen, though the official authority remains with the President.
• Oath: The President themselves administers the oath of office to the Speaker Pro Tem.
• Primary Duties: Their main job is to preside over the first sitting of the new House, administer the oath of office to all newly elected members, and enable the House to elect a permanent Speaker.

Once the permanent Speaker is elected, the office of the Speaker Pro Tem automatically ceases to exist. Subsequently, the House proceeds to elect a Deputy Speaker. Interestingly, while the President fixes the date for the Speaker's election, it is the Speaker who fixes the date for the Deputy Speaker's election Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.231.

Sources: Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.229; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.231; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.232

2. Election, Tenure, and Vacation of the Speaker's Office (intermediate)

Concept: Election, Tenure, and Vacation of the Speaker's Office

3. Summoning of Parliament and the First Sitting (intermediate)

In the life of a Parliament, the summoning of the Houses is a formal constitutional act performed by the President. Under Article 85(1), the President has the power to summon each House at such time and place as they see fit. However, the Constitution ensures that the legislature remains active by imposing a strict requirement: six months shall not intervene between the last sitting of one session and the date appointed for the first sitting of the next D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Legislature, p.245. This effectively means that Parliament must meet at least twice a year, though by convention, it meets for three sessions: the Budget Session, Monsoon Session, and Winter Session M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Parliament, p.235.

The First Sitting of a newly elected Lok Sabha is a unique event that requires a specialized presiding officer. To ensure continuity, a crucial rule under Article 94 states that the Speaker of the previous Lok Sabha does not vacate their office upon the dissolution of the House. Instead, they remain in office until immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Speaker Pro Tem, p.232. At that moment, the office becomes vacant, and because the new members have not yet taken their oaths or elected a leader, the President appoints a Speaker Pro Tem.

The Speaker Pro Tem is usually the senior-most member of the House, though this is a matter of parliamentary convention rather than a strict constitutional mandate. The President appoints this member under Article 95(1) and personally administers their oath of office M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Speaker Pro Tem, p.233. The role is strictly temporary, with two primary constitutional duties:

• Administering the oath/affirmation to the newly elected members so they can legally take their seats.
• Presiding over the election of the new, permanent Speaker.

Once the new Speaker is elected, the office of the Speaker Pro Tem automatically ceases to exist.

Feature	Speaker Pro Tem	Permanent Speaker
Appointed/Elected by	Appointed by the President	Elected by the Lok Sabha members
Primary Role	Administer oaths and conduct Speaker election	Manage House proceedings and maintain order
Tenure	Temporary (only for the first few sittings)	Usually for the life of the Lok Sabha

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Legislature, p.245; Indian Polity, Parliament, p.235; Indian Polity, Speaker Pro Tem, p.232; Indian Polity, Speaker Pro Tem, p.233

4. Article 87: Special Address by the President (intermediate)

In our parliamentary democracy, while the President is the formal head of the Executive, they are also an integral part of the Legislature under Article 79, even though they do not sit or participate in daily debates Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Legislature, p.242. Article 87 provides for a 'Special Address,' a ceremonial yet politically significant event where the President bridges the gap between the executive's agenda and the legislative process.

Under Article 87, the President must address both Houses of Parliament assembled together on two specific occasions:

• After a General Election: At the commencement of the first session after every general election to the Lok Sabha.
• Annual Address: At the commencement of the first session of each year (usually the Budget Session).

During this address, the President 'informs Parliament of the causes of its summons' Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Executive, p.213. In practice, this speech is not the President’s personal view; rather, it is prepared by the government. It outlines the policies, programs, and legislative agenda of the ruling party for the upcoming year, similar to the 'Speech from the Throne' in the British Parliamentary system Indian Polity, Parliament, p.242.

The address is followed by a debate in both Houses on the 'Motion of Thanks.' This is a critical constitutional exercise because the motion must be passed by the House. Since the address represents the government's policy, a failure to pass the Motion of Thanks in the Lok Sabha is seen as a defeat of the government and amounts to a vote of no-confidence, necessitating the resignation of the Council of Ministers.

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Legislature, p.242; Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Executive, p.213; Indian Polity, Parliament, p.242

5. Oath or Affirmation by Members (Article 99) (exam-level)

In the journey of becoming a functional Member of Parliament (MP), winning the election is only the first step. To actually perform their duties, every member of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha must subscribe to an oath or affirmation under Article 99 of the Constitution. This act is not merely ceremonial; it is a constitutional requirement that must be completed before the member takes their seat in the House. The oath is taken before the President or some person appointed by the President for this purpose Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., Parliament, p.228.

During this process, a member swears to three specific pillars:

• To bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India;
• To uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India; and
• To faithfully discharge the duty upon which they are about to enter.

These same principles apply to members of State Legislatures, though their oath is administered by the Governor Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., State Legislature, p.338.

A fascinating practical application occurs immediately after a general election. Since the Speaker of the previous Lok Sabha vacates office just before the first meeting of the new House, the President appoints a Speaker Pro Tem (usually the senior-most member). The President personally administers the oath to the Speaker Pro Tem. Subsequently, the Speaker Pro Tem presides over the first sitting and administers the oath to all other newly elected members. This ensures the House is properly constituted to elect a permanent Speaker Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., Parliament, p.232-233.

The stakes for taking this oath are incredibly high. Until a member takes the oath or affirmation, they are subject to severe restrictions: they cannot vote, they cannot participate in any proceedings of the House, and they are not eligible for parliamentary privileges or immunities. In fact, if a person sits or votes in the House without taking the oath, they are liable to a penalty of ₹500 for each day they do so Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., Parliament, p.228.

Sources: Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.228, 232-233; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, State Legislature, p.338

6. The Speaker Pro Tem: Appointment, Convention, and Duties (exam-level)

To understand the Speaker Pro Tem, we must first look at a unique constitutional timing: although a Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Speaker does not vacate office at that moment. Instead, the Speaker remains in office until immediately before the first meeting of the newly elected House Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.232. This creates a brief vacuum at the very start of a new Parliament. To bridge this gap, the President appoints a member of the Lok Sabha as the Speaker Pro Tem under Article 95(1) of the Constitution to perform the duties of the office while it is vacant.

While the President has the formal constitutional authority to appoint any member, a long-standing parliamentary convention dictates that the senior-most member of the House is usually selected for this role. 'Seniority' here refers to the total number of years/terms served in the House. It is important to note that the Speaker Pro Tem does not just start working; the President specifically administers the oath of office to them Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.233. This allows the Speaker Pro Tem to then exercise all the powers of a regular Speaker during their short tenure.

The existence of this office is purely temporary, typically lasting only a few days. The Speaker Pro Tem has three vital responsibilities:

• Presiding over the very first sitting of the newly elected Lok Sabha.
• Administering the oath or affirmation to all other newly elected members of the House.
• Facilitating the election of the permanent Speaker.

Once the House elects its new permanent Speaker, the office of the Speaker Pro Tem automatically ceases to exist Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.233.

Sources: Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.232; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Parliament, p.233

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

In your recent modules, you explored how the Parliament transitions between dissolved and newly elected Houses. This question tests your ability to connect the procedural vacuum that occurs when a new Lok Sabha meets for the first time. Since the previous Speaker vacates office just before this first meeting, a temporary presiding officer is required to administer oaths to new members. According to Article 95(1), the President of India has the constitutional authority to fill this vacancy by appointing a member of the House, commonly referred to as the Speaker Pro Tem. As noted in Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, the President also administers the oath to this appointee, whose primary duty is to facilitate the election of the permanent Speaker. To arrive at the correct answer, (B) appointed by the President of India, you must distinguish between authority and convention. UPSC frequently uses Option (D) as a trap; while it is true that the senior-most member is usually selected, this is a parliamentary convention and not the formal method of assumption of office. Option (A) is incorrect because the House elects its permanent Speaker, but it cannot perform an election until the Pro Tem Speaker has first sworn in the members. Option (C) is a common distractor meant to confuse the Chief Justice's role in the President's oath-taking with the internal administrative appointments of the Legislature. Mastering this distinction is key for the Prelims: always look for the official appointing authority versus the customary practice. The Pro Tem Speaker’s role is purely transitional; once the permanent Speaker is elected, this temporary office ceases to exist. This logical flow—from the President's appointment to the administration of oaths and finally to the election of the permanent Speaker—is a fundamental building block of Indian Parliamentary democracy.