Which object is a symbol of parliamentary procedure and the presiding officer?

• A. Hammer
• B. Bell
• C. Mallet
• D. Gavel

Answer: (D)

The concept here is that the presiding officer’s authority in parliamentary procedure is represented by a specific ceremonial tool. The gavel is used by the chair to call the meeting to order, signal decisions, and adjourn proceedings, making it a clear symbol of the chair’s authority and of orderly procedure.

A bell can mark times or signal attention in some settings, but it isn’t the traditional symbol of the presiding officer in parliamentary procedure. A hammer or mallet describe the same kind of tool in other contexts, but the standard term and symbol in this context is the gavel.