18th Lok Sabha Election

Pro-tem (Latin phrase) means ‘for the time being’ or ‘temporary’. So, a pro-tem speaker can be described as a temporary speaker who presides over the first meeting of Lok Sabha until the house elects the Speaker.
The Constitution of India does not mention the post of pro-tem speaker.
The official ‘Handbook on the Working of Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs’ speaks about the ‘Appointment and Swearing in of Speaker pro-tem’.
Appointed by the President of India. Oath is administered by the President.
Generally, the senior most member of the house is appointed as Speaker pro-tem.
Role:-

• Until a new speaker is elected, the pro-tem Speaker is chosen to administer some important duties.
• Speaker pro-tem administers the oath/affirmation to the newly elected members of the house.
• Pro-tem speaker enables the house to elect a new speaker.
• Bhartruhari Mahtab was the Pro-tem Speaker of 18th Lok Sabha.
• Ganesh Vasudeo Mavalankar was the first pro-tem speaker.

• The Speaker is the constitutional & ceremonial head of the Lok Sabha and presides over the sittings of Lok Sabha.
• Qualification
  • Speaker has to be a member of the house (Lok Sabha)
  • No other specific requirements
• Election
  • The President of India decides the date of election for the post of Speaker.
  • Elected by a (simple) majority of members present & voting.
  • Sitting members (after taking oath) are eligible for voting in the election of the Speaker
• Removal (Article 94)
  • The Speaker vacates the office if he/she ceases to be a member of the Lok Sabha.
  • Resigns by writing to the Deputy Speaker.
  • Removed from office by a resolution of the Lok Sabha passed by a majority of all the then members of the House (Effective majority).
• Role of the Speaker
  • Primary Role
    • Maintaining order in the House for conduct of business and regulating its proceedings.
  • Legislative Role
    • Putting bills to vote and declaring the results of the vote.
    • Exercising the casting vote in case of a tie.
    • Certification of bills (e.g. Money Bill)
    • Constituting the committees (e.g. Rules Committee, Business Advisory Committee)
  • Executive Role
    • Administrative control over the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
  • Quasi-Judicial Role
    • Disqualification of members on the ground of defection.
    • Adjudicating on matters related to breach of privilege of the house or members.
    • Interpreting parliamentary rules.
• On Dissolution of Lok Sabha the Speaker shall not vacate his/her office until immediately before the first meeting of the Lok Sabha after the dissolution.
• Order of precedence - 6th
• Speaker of 18th Lok Sabha - Om Birla (elected by voice vote)
• Ganesh Vasudeo Mavalankar was the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
• Longest serving Lok Sabha Speaker - Balram Jakhar
• Until now except in 1952, 1967 and 1976, the Speakers of Lok Sabha have been elected unopposed.

• Determination and Recognition:
  • Direction 121 of the Speaker (1950s): A political party must have at least ten percent of the members of the House in order to be recognised as a party there. It does not deal with the recognition of the LoP.
  • The initial definition of a LoP was provided by the Salary and Allowances of the Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act (1977). According to the Act there are two conditions that need to be fulfilled:
    • The party should be numerically the biggest one in opposition to the government.
    • Party should be recognised by the Speaker/Chairman as a party.
• Therefore, the position of LoP may only be claimed by a party with 10% of the House's total strength.
• Position in Lok Sabha
  • Leader of Opposition sits in the front row to the left of the Chair
  • Entitled to a seat in the front row during the Address by the President to both Houses of Parliament.
• Order of precedence - 7th, along with Cabinet Ministers of the Union.
• Responsibility:-
  • LoP serves as the voice of the opposition in the House.
  • As the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, they are seen as a shadow prime minister with a shadow cabinet, prepared to assume power in the event that the government steps down or loses a vote of no confidence in the House.
  • Opposition’s representative in the high-powered committees headed by the Prime Minister for appointment to key posts such as:
    • Lokpal
    • Director of CBI
    • Central Vigilance Commissioner
    • Chief Information Commissioner
    • Chairperson and Members of the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC)
  • LoP is also a member of important committees such as Estimates Committee, Public Accounts Committee, Committee on Public Undertakings and other Joint Parliamentary Committees.
• LoP in 18th Lok Sabha - Rahul Gandhi
• Ram Subhag Singh was the first LoP in Lok Sabha.

• Article 87(1): At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the House of the People and at the commencement of the first session of each year the President shall address both Houses of Parliament assembled together and inform Parliament of the causes of its summons.
• Article 87(2): Provision shall be made by the rules regulating the procedure of either House for the allotment of time for discussion of the matters referred to in the Presidential address.
  In the case of the first session after each general election to Lok Sabha, the President addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together after the members have made and subscribed the oath or affirmation and the Speaker has been elected.
• The President's Address is the statement of policy of the Government and, as such, is drafted by the Government which is responsible for its contents.
• The assembly of members of the two Houses to hear the President's Address is not treated as a sitting of either House.
• The copy of address in both Hindi & English duly authenticated by the President is laid on the table by the Secretaries-General of the respective houses.

• The Motion of Thanks is a formal motion made in Parliament to thank the President for the address to both Houses. It initiates a debate that precedes a vote, reflecting Parliament’s response to the President’s Address.
• It is introduced in both the houses of the Parliament.
• In accordance with the Lok Sabha's Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, a Motion of Thanks proposed by one member and seconded by another member initiates discussion on issues mentioned in the President's Address.
• The names of the motion's proposer and seconder are chosen by the Prime Minister.
• The Address allows members to freely debate a wide range of domestic and global issues, with a very broad area of discussion. By amending the Motion of Thanks, even topics not explicitly addressed in the Address are brought up for consideration.
  • The President's name cannot be used during a discussion since the Government, not the President, is accountable for the substance of the Address. The other two restrictions are that members are not allowed to discuss topics that are not directly under the purview of the Central Government.
• The Prime Minister or any other Minister's response ends the discussion on the Motion of Thanks.
• The mover or the seconder does not have any Right of reply at the end unlike other motions.
• Immediately thereafter, the amendments are disposed of and the Motion of Thanks is put to vote and adopted.
• If the Motion of Thanks is not passed in the Lok Sabha it signifies the defeat of the government and the survival of the government comes into question.