Which term describes the official decision of the presiding officer?

Which term describes the official decision of the presiding officer?

• A. Ruling
• B. Resolution
• C. Decision
• D. Advice

Answer: (A)

In parliamentary procedure, the official action a presiding officer takes to interpret rules or to decide how the meeting should proceed is called a ruling. This is the chair’s formal decision on a point of order or on how a procedure should be handled, and it guides what happens next in the meeting. A ruling is the right term here because it conveys authority over process and interpretation of the rules, not merely a formal statement of opinion. A resolution, by contrast, is a formal document expressing the group’s will or stance. A decision can be more general and may come from the body rather than the chair on procedural matters. Advice is guidance, not an enforceable procedural determination.

In parliamentary procedure, the official action a presiding officer takes to interpret rules or to decide how the meeting should proceed is called a ruling. This is the chair’s formal decision on a point of order or on how a procedure should be handled, and it guides what happens next in the meeting.

A ruling is the right term here because it conveys authority over process and interpretation of the rules, not merely a formal statement of opinion. A resolution, by contrast, is a formal document expressing the group’s will or stance. A decision can be more general and may come from the body rather than the chair on procedural matters. Advice is guidance, not an enforceable procedural determination.