Pro-tem Speaker

About

Pro-tem essentially means for the time being or temporarily.
Pro-tem speaker is the temporary speaker appointed for a limited period of time to conduct the works in Lok Sabha or in state legislatures.
Pro-tem speaker is chosen for the conduct of the house when the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies have been elected and the vote for the speaker and deputy speaker has not taken place.
They carry on the activities until the permanent speaker is chosen.

Article 94 of the Indian Constitution states that
- Whenever the House of the People is dissolved, the Speaker shall not vacate his office until immediately before the first meeting of the House of the People after the dissolution.

In the new Lok Sabha, the Speaker of the House is decided by a simple majority. Until a new speaker is elected, the pro-tem Speaker is chosen to administer some important duties.
The Constitution does not mention the post of the Pro-tem Speaker.

Selection

The official Handbook on the Working of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs speaks about the Appointment and Swearing in of Speaker pro tem.
The handbook states when the Speaker post falls vacant before a new Lok Sabha, the duties of the Speaker are to be performed by a Member of the House appointed for this purpose by the President as Speaker pro tem.
A pro-tem speaker is chosen with the agreement of the members of the Lok Sabha and legislative assembly.
Usually, the senior-most member of the house is selected for the post. Three other members, next in terms of seniority, are appointed to assist the Speaker Pro-tem.
The President administers the oath to the Speaker pro tem in the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Role

Pro-tem speaker presides over the first meeting of the lower House of Parliament after the general elections.
The main duty of the pro-tem speaker is to administer the oath of office to new members of the house.
He also enables the House to elect the new speaker. He/she presides over the sitting in which the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected.

Sources

Today Current Affairs Upsc Exam Syllabus & Previous Yearpaper.