3C.L.R. 1987 September24 [LORIS J] INTHE MATTER OF ARTICLE 146 OF THE CONSTITUTION ELENIP KOULIA, υ Applicant, THE REPUBLICOF CYPRUS,THROUGH THE PUBLICSERVICECOMMISSION Respondent (Case No 914/85) PublicOfficers—Promotions—Scheme ofService— Interpretationof —Judicial control— Pnnciplesapplicable 5 10 Legitimateinterest— Appointments/Promotionsof Public Officers— Personnot qualified under the scheme of service for the post m question — Lacks legitimate interest to challenge the appointment/promotion of somebody elsetosuchpost By means of this recourse theapplicant challenges the promotion of the interested parties to the post of Senior Medical Officer The respondent Commission raised the preliminary objecbon that the applicant lacks legitimate interest, because she does not possess qualification
(1)of the Scheme of Service Theapplicantadmittedthatshe doesnotpossessthesaidqualification, but argued thatshewas qualified for promotion,because shesatisfiesthe.Note»* of theScheme of Service *3 ^ Itmustbe notedthatthe«Note» was applicable for thefilling of the vacant posts «for the first time after theapproval of the present scheme of service» When the scheme was approved there were 15 vacant posts of Senior MedicalOfficer, which werefilledby decisions dated31 8 82 and22 11 84 It is obvious that in effecting the sub judice promotions the respondent Commissiontooktheviewthatthe«note»couldnotbeapplied«ad infinitum», butitwas only a transitional provision. Held,dismissing therecourse:(l)Jheinterpretationofaschemeof service is within the province of the Public Service Commission The Courtwillnot •Quotedatpp1399-1400post 1397 Koulia v. Republic
(1987)interfere if such interpretationwas reasonably open to it The interpretation given in this case to the scheme in question was reasonably open to the Commission
(2)Aperson,who is not qualified underthe scheme of service for a post, does not possess a legitimate interest to challenge the appointment or promotion of somebody else tosuch post Recoursedismissed No orderasto costs Casesreferred to 10 Papapetrou ν Republic,2 R S C C 61, Petsasν Republic,3 RS CC 60, Republic ν Atvahous
(1971)3 C LR 89, Vryomdesv Republic
(1984)3 C LR 1567, FrangoullidesandAnother ν PSC
(1985)3CLR 1680, Republic ν Xinan &Others
(1985)3 C LR 1922, 15 Nicolaouv /?epuW/c
(1985)3CLR 2471, Makns ν Republic
(1986)3 CLR 10, Neophytou ν Republic, 1964 C LR 280, Santos and Othersν Republic
(1969)3 CLR 28, Milbadou ν Republic
(1969)3C L R 210, 20 ConstanOmdou&Othersν Republic
(1974)3C LR 416, Nicolaou &Othersν Republic
(1985)3 C LR 2471 Recourse. Recourseagainstthedecisionoftherespondenttopromotethe interested parties to the post of Senior Medical Officer in the 25 DepartmentofMedicalandPublicHealthServices mpreference andinsteadof the applicant Μ Sawa (Mrs.)forChr. Mitsides, forapplicant. P.Hjidemetnou,for the respondent. Cur. adv vult. 30 1398 3 C.L.R. Koulla v. Republic LORISJ. read thefollowing judgment. The present recourse is directed against the decision of the respondent P.S.C. dated 16.7.85, published inthe Official Gazette of the Republicon 20.9.85, whereby the interested parties namely Charitini 5 Komodiki and Michael Voniatis were promoted tothe post of Senior Medical Officer in the DepartmentofMedical and Public Health Services as from 1.8.1985,inpreference toand instead of the applicant. The respondent P.S.C. in its opposition filed, raises the 10 preliminary objection that the applicant lacks legitimate interest «to file and pursue the present recourse». As it transpires clearly from the opposition and the written address of the respondent Commission the gistofthe preliminary objection isto the effect thattheapplicant does notpossessqualification
(1)*envisaged by 15 the scheme ofservice approved bythe Council ofMinisters on 25.6.1981 under No. 20530 (Vide Appendix «D»attached tothe opposition) whilst both interested parties possess the aforesaid qualification (Komodiki: possesses Diploma inPublic Health of the Royal Instituteof PublicHealth&Hygiene U.K- and Voniatis: 20 possesses Degree ofMaster of Arts in Health Services Studies of the University of Leeds.) Learned counsel for theapplicantinhis written address though admitting that the applicant does not possess qualification
(1)of the Scheme ofService, submitted that the applicant could avail 25 herself ofthe provisions ofFirstNoteto the aforesaid scheme of service which reads as follows: «Σημειωοις: Διό την πλήρωσιν των κενών θέσεων διάπρώτην φοράν μετά την έγκρισιν τ ο υ π α ρ ό ν τ ο ς σχεδίου υπηρεσίας, 30 δύνανται ναπροαχθούν και ιατρικοίλειτουργοί οι οποίοι: (α) δεν κατέχουν τ οεις τ ο
(1)ανωτέρωαπαιτούμενον προοόν και (β)δεν έχουν διετήτουλάχιστον υπηρεσίανειςαγροτικόν Υγειονομικόν Κέντρον ή/καιΤμήματαΠρώτων Βοηθειών, 35 νοουμένου ότι έχουν δεκαετή τουλάχιστον άσκησιν τ η ς ιατρικής εκτης οποίας 7ετήτουλάχιστονυπηρεσίαν ειςτας θέσεις Ιατρικού Λειτουργού, 1ης και2ας Τάξεως.» *Diploma ortitieor equivalentqualification inPublicHealth or theAdministration of Health Servicesend/orHospitals. 1399 Loris J. KoaUav.Republic
(1987)(English Translation: «Note; For the filling of the vacant posts for the first time after the approval of the present scheme of service there may also be promoted medical officers aswell,who: (a) Do not possess the qualification required under
(1)above, and (b)HavenoserviceofatleasttwoyearsataRuralHealth Centre and/or CasualtyDepartment, provided thattheyhaveatleastten years practice in medicine out of which at least 7years service in 10 the posts of MedicalOfficer 1stand 2ndClass.») Itisthecontention oftherespondentP.S.C.anditiscrystalclear from the material before me that when the aforesaid scheme of service was approved on 25.6.81 there were 15 vacant posts of Senior Medical Officer; these posts were filled in by the 15 respondent Commission on31.8.82 (11posts)and the remaining 4postson22.11.84.Onboththeaforesaidoccasionsitisclearthat therespondentCommissionconsideredandappliedthe aforesaid «Note»tothe Scheme ofservice asthesaid 15vacantpostswere filled in«forthe firsttimeafter theapproval ofthepresentscheme 20 of service.» During the process of filling the above 15 posts the respondent Commission applied the «Note» to the Scheme of Service and considered the present applicant as eligible for promotion (as the applicant herself maintains in her written address in the present recourse and as it is apparent from the 25 relevant extractsattached thereto). Itisclear from the above thatthe respondent P.S.C. in holding that thistime the applicant did notpossess the qualification
(1)of the Scheme of Service decided in effect that the «note» to the Scheme of Service could not be applied «ad infinitum» for the 30 promotion tovacant postsbut itwasonlya transitional provision «forthefillingofthevacantpostsforthefirsttimeaftertheapproval ofthe present scheme ofservice». Itiswellestablishedprinciplethattheinterpretation ofascheme of service iswithin the province of the P.S.C; and thisCourt will 35 notinterfereifsuchinterpretation wasreasonablyopentoit.(Vide inter alia: Papapetrou v. Republic, 2 R.S.C.C. 61; Petsas v. Republic, 3R.S.C.C.60;Republic v.Aivaliotis
(1971)3C.L.R.89; Vryonides v. Republic
(1984)3 C.L.R. 1567; Frangoulhdes and 1400 5 3C.L.R. Koulla v.Republic LorlaJ. Another v. P.S.C.
(1985)3 C.L.R. 1680; Republic v. Xinari& Others
(1985)3 C.L.R. 1922; Nicolaou v. Republic
(1985)3 C.L.R. 2471;Makrisv.Republic
(1986)3 C.L.R. 10). Having given to the matter my best consideration, bearing in 5 mind the wording of the «Note» of the aforesaid Scheme of Service,thematerialbefore me,whichwasalsobefore theP.S.C. includingletter Ex.X,Iholdtheviewthatthe interpretation ofthe scheme of service and the relevant decision of the respondent P.S.C wasreasonably open toit. 10 Itiswellestablishedthataperson whoisnotqualified underthe Scheme ofserviceforapost,doesnotpossessalegitimate interest to challenge the appointment or promotion of somebody else to such post (vide inter alia: Neophytou v. Republic, 1964 C.L.R. 280;Santos and Othersv.Republic
(1969)3C.L.R. 28;Miltiadou 15 v. Republic
(1969)3 C.L.R. 210; Constantinidou & Others v. Republic
(1974)3 C.L.R. 416; Nicolaou and Others v. Republic
(1985)3C.L.R.2471). Inthecircumstancesastheapplicantwasnotqualified underthe scheme of servicefor the post inquestion shedoes notpossessa 20 legitimate interest to challenge the promotion of the interested parties. The present recourse, therefore fails and is accordingly dismissed. Lettherebenoorder astoitscosts. Recourse dismissed. No orderasto costs. 25 1401