(1988)1988September8 [STYUANIDES.J.] INTHEMATTEROFARTICLE146OFTHECONSTITUTION ALEXANDROSE.SKOUFARIS, Applicant, v. THEREPUBLICOFCYPRUS, THROUGH THEPUBLICSERVICECOMMISSION, Respondent. (CaseNo. 278/86). Recoursefor annulment—Abatement—Revocation of thesubjudice act— When andinwhatcircumstancestherecourseisabated—WhetherCourt haspowertoexamineincidentallythevalidityoftherevocation—Question determinedintheaffirmative Public Officers—Promotions—Revocation of,for purposeofreconsidera- 5 tion—Asthereisnovestedrighttopromotionandanannulmentleadsonly toreconsiderationofthematter,therevocationextinguishestheactabinitio withoutcausinganydamage. Compositeadministrativeact—Invalidityofintermediateact—Leadstoannulmentoffinalact—Therefore,promotionsofofficersshouldbeannulled,if 10 theconfidentialreportswereinvalid. The facts of thiscaseappear sufficiently from thejudgment of the Court. Recoursedismissed. Noorderastocosts. 15 Casesreferredto: loannouv.EA.C.
(1981)3C.L.R. 280; 1742 '3C'X.R. ' ' ' ' • Skoufaris v.Republic Λ '*• ΟΑπ^ΛΑ?Γ^Λί>ώ/ί^(198ΐ)'3ί:ΧΛνίΐ27; ''' Christodoulides v.TheRepublic
(1978)3C.L.R. 189; t . *. .. '•·• i b . . ' , · <*' * - "- nt '*' " i . - I *** ' *' ' " ' r ' •'H^eshisv:TheRep^Uc'{\919)f"C.nK}'i50\ "'" ^ - ι *i: ••·' U \ ; '" ' ''". - -;:::-• ... ; * •< . · ; * . - · * - ' Agrbiisv! TheRepublic
(1983)3C.L.R.U-1397;" : "^ '* Aayia/asv.:TheRepublic
(1984)3 C . I 1 R ! 1239; ""' ] -' ' Nicolaidesv'.'fheRepublic
(1987)3C.L.R.9;' Va/wmwandO/Wsv.T/ie/?e/7^//c(l987)3C.L.R.151;a "' ' ^ 1 'Irrigation Division "Katzilos" v. ΓΑίRepublic
(1983)'3"C.L.R*.'1068.* 1 1 * ν i "..?'}* • "1 · o .r ; / ι'.J '"ou.'.;;. ι/ ν Recourse.<^ ' :" : '' ' '" " '' , • ,-v *,n' " Recourseagainstthedecisionof therespondenttopromote the interestedparties tothe postofExarruher'df Accounts, 1stGrade inpreference andinsteadoftheapplicant. G.Michanikos, fortheapplicant.'1 _ . · „ • · " *...,; . ' ' · . . ' i*;J.· n:q ;.,:<• - • '-v - "!' 'vV.· . - ' . · ,' ' '? · •- • " ' Α.ΡapasavvasTSenior Counselof theRepublic, for thefe' i^spbndeit: 1 "' υ ' ' u * ' · ' '' / j i r " ' '· ' , "'' -'••:·; ' " ' ' ·*· ·' ' J " ·' · , Λ λ *J' " "jl ' Cur.'akvVvuh: STYLIANIDESJ.readthefollowingjudgment. The applicant by thisrecourseseeksthe annulmentof,theprpmptionofthethree interestedpartiestothe postofExaminerofAccounts,1stGride, ; inpreference to him. Thefirst'groundonwhictrhereliedisthatthe confidentialre ports'were invalid;astherewasafailureto'conformwiththe pro1743 Stylianides J. Skoufaris v. Republic
(1988)visionsof the Regulations andmaterially affected adversely his interest. The confidential reports are only independent intermediate parts of the wider composite administrative action,promotion. Theymergeinthefinalact,andthoughtheycannotbethesubject 5 ofarecourse,astheyarenotbythemselvesofexecutorycharacter,neverthelessbeingalegalprerequisitetosuchfinal act,their invalidity, ifany,rendersallactswhichfollow, includingthe final concluded act, null and void, as the invalidity of part of a compositeadministrativeactionleadstotheinvalidityofthe final 10 act, becausethecomponent actsof theaction in theirnatureare not separate and independentofeach other-(DinosN. Ioannou v.TheElectricityAuthorityofCyprus
(1981)3 C.L.R.280,at p. 299;Christofidesy.Republic
(1985)3C.L.R.1127). Thesecondgroundisthatnodueinquirywascarriedoutwith 15 regard tothequalifications required bytheschemeof service.It wasfurther contended that theapplicantisstrikingly superiorto theinterestedparties,promotees. Counsel for the Respondents in thecourseof thehearingof thisrecourse,afterconsideration,advisedtheminwriting. 20 TheRespondent Commission meton 19thMay, 1988andre* voked thesubjudicedecision,thepromotionofthethreeinterestedparties.By letterdated 26th May, 1988,they broughtthisto theknowledgeoftheAttorney-General.InthesaidletteritisstatedthattheCommissionshallreexaminethematterofthefillingof 25 the threeposts,which,due totheaforesaid revocation, arevacant, after the Attorney-General and theSupremeCourt areinformed oftherevocation. Thequestion thatfallsfordecisioniswhetherthisrecoursehas beenabatedanditcannotbefurtherprosecuted. Therevocationofthesubjudicedecisionisanadmissionofits invalidity,atleastononeofthegroundssetupbytheapplicantin 1744 30 ,3 C.L.R. .Skoufaris v. Republic ; Stylianides J. his recourse. Following that, therecourse is abated,1-if it isde prived of its subject matter..Revocationof an administrativeact normallyresults intheabatementof therecourse,unlessdamag ing effects have resulted tothe applicant,which are notextin5 guishedby therevocationof thechallenged act- (Christodoulides v. TheRepublic{\918)3.C.L:R.'\89\Hapeshis v. Republic
(1979)3C.L.R.550, 560;Kittou andOthers v.Republic
(1983)'3 C.L.R.605;Agrotis v.Republic
(1983)3C.L.R. 1397;Payiatas v.Republic
(1984).3 C.L.R. 1239, 1246; Nicolaides v. Re10 public
(1987)3 CL.R. 9; Valiantis and Others v.Republic
(1987)3 ;C.L.R. 151). __ : . · . • · . ϊ - ' • > '. '" '• Inourcountry itis settled that only asuccessful applicantin a recourse,seeking reqVessunderArticle.146 of theConstitution,is entitledtoseekjustandequitabledamages,underArticle 146.6. 15 20 Irrespective,therefore,of therevocation of an administrative actordecision,whenduringtheexistence of siich actand before itsrevocationadverse consequenceshaveresulted toan applicant inarecourse;suchapplicantisentitledtohavehisrecourse deter minedsoastoenablehimtoseek compensationunderArticle 146 of theConstitution-(irrigation Division "Katzilos" v. The Republic'XWM) 3 C.C:R. 1068 at p. 1081;Payiatasv. Republic (supra)) 25 30 Y; Υ - Y ...•'Ύ Υ ' Υ - Υ The recourseremainswithoutsubject matteronly if thechal lenged deciskm'is extinguished ab initio,from the beginning, withoutcausing'any damage. Furthermore,therevocation.must bevalidinallrespectsandthisCourthaspowertoincidentallyreviewthe validity of suchrevocation,otherwise,if theactofrevo cationis annulledlateronby theCourt,theapplicantwill remain withoutaremedy as theoriginal act,which revives,will notbe possible to bechallenged by a new recourse which atanyrate willbeoutof time. , ,. ι : IntheApplication ForAnnulmentBeforeTheCouncilOfState byTsatsos,3rdedition,atp.373 wereadthefollowing: "y.t y. '•;· I1 * . * " . ' - * 1745 Stylianides J. Skoufaris v. Republic
(1988)"Ίνα διατης ανακλήσεωςή ενδεχομένως της καταργή- 5 σεως τηςπροσβαλλομένης πράξεωςαποβήπράγματιάνευ αντικειμένου η αίτησις ακυρώσεως, απαιτείται προσέτι απαραιτήτως η,περίηςπρόκειται,ανάκλησιςήκατάργησις να είναι καθ'όλα έγκυρος, του Συμβουλίου της Επι κρατείας δικαιουμένου να εξέταση τούτο παρεμπιπτόν- 10 τως.Αλλως ο αιτών,ακυρούμενηςτυχόνβραδύτεροντης ανακλητικής ή της καταργητικήςπράξεως υπό τουΣυμ βουλίουτης Επικρατείας,ήθελεν ενδεχομένως ευρεθήπρο δικονομικούαδιεξόδου,δοθέντοςότιημενπράξις εκτελέ σεως της -μετάτηνακύρωσιντηςανακλήσεωςή καταργή- 15 σεως -αυτοδικαίωςαναβιωσάσηςπράξεως,καθ*ηςαρχι κώς είχε προσφύγει, ως πράξις εκτελέσεως δεν θα είναι προσβλητή,ηδεπράξις,καθ'ήςείχεν αρχικώςπροσφύγει, δεν θαείναι πλέον δυνατόνναπροσβληθήλόγωπαρόδου τηςπροθεσμίας." 20 The decision of revocation in thepresent case was taken on 19th May, 1988. The peremptory period under paragraph 3 of Article 146,within which arecourse challenging such revocation may befiledby any of theinterested parties,has elapsed. Theannulmentof thesubjudice decision by theCourtwould 25 notgiveany right totheapplicants for any redress, underArticle 146.6,because thereis novestedrighttopromotion as such,and theannulmentof thepromotionsof theinterested party would not automatically haveled tothepromotion of theapplicant instead. After annulmentthePublic ServiceCommission has toexamine 30 thematterafresh on thebasisof thelegalandfactual situation at thetimetheannulled decision was taken.This theCommission is intending todo in thepresent case. Therevocation of the 19th May, 1988 extinguished thesubjudice decision. Inview of theforegoing, therecourse has been abated and is hereby struck out. 35 Let therebenoorderas tocosts. Recourse struckout as abated. Noorderas tocosts. 1746