Can the Chairperson ask anyone at any time to assume the duties of the chair, even in the middle of the meeting.

[Guest Lesley N]

Can the Chairperson ask anyone at any time to assume the duties of the chair, even in the middle of the meeting. 

[Richard Brown]

In a sense, yes, the presiding officer can relinquish the chair for any number of reasons. However, he does not have the right to arbitrarily decide who will preside in his place. If RONR is your parliamentary authority and if your rules do not provide otherwise, the vice chairman, if there is one, automatically presides. If there is not one, or if he is absent, then the assembly has the right to elect a chairman pro tem to preside for the remainder of the meeting.
 

Frequently, the regular presiding officer or some other well respected member will suggest someone to serve as chairman pro tem and the assembly will approve that nomination by general consent without objection.

[Atul Kapur]

17 hours ago, Richard Brown said:

If there is not one, or if he is absent, then the assembly has the right to elect a chairman pro tem to preside for the remainder of the meeting.
 

Frequently, the regular presiding officer or some other well respected member will suggest someone to serve as chairman pro tem and the assembly will approve that nomination by general consent without objection.

A slight nuance. If there is no vice chairperson, the chairperson designates someone else. The person is "assumed to receive the assembly's approval by unanimous consent unless member(s) then nominate another person(s)" 43:29(b) [emphasis added]

So the onus is on the assembly to nominate someone else if they don't like the person who the chairperson designates.

[Richard Brown]

22 minutes ago, Atul Kapur said:

A slight nuance. If there is no vice chairperson, the chairperson designates someone else. The person is "assumed to receive the assembly's approval by unanimous consent unless member(s) then nominate another person(s)" 43:29(b) [emphasis added]

So the onus is on the assembly to nominate someone else if they don't like the person who the chairperson designates.

Ahh, yes, thank you.  That is indeed the case when there is no vice chair present and the chair designates someone else to preside.