(1988)1988October18 (SAVVIDES,] INTHEMATTER OFARTICLE 146OFTHE CONSTITUTION l.NICOSROUSOS, 2.ATHINOULLA NICOU ROUSOU, 3. MARIA NICOU ROUSOU, Applicants, and (AS AMENDEDBYORDER OFTHECOURTDATED 13.12.1987) 1.THEIMPROVEMENTBOARDOFSTROVOLOS, 2.THEMUNICIPALICY OFSTROVOLOS, Respondents. (CaseNo. 263/80). Legitimate interest—The Court haspower todeal witha recourse onlyif the applicantpossessesadirectpresentconcretelegitimate interest—Kritiotisv. Municipality ofPaphos
(1986)3 CLM. 322 citedwithapproval—Division permit oflandadjoiningtoapplicants'land—Complaint thatfuturedevelopment ofapplicants' land will be affected—Theapplicantsdidnot establish anexistinginterest. The applicants challenged the grant of a division permit in respect of land,registered in thenamesoftheinterestedparties,adjoining applicants' land. The complaint advanced by applicants was that their own property would beaffected in thefuture in that if theapplicants wished to develop theirpropertythey willbeasked bytheappropriateauthority togivepartof theirproperty for thewidening andconstruction ofNafplion streetwhich is oneof theroads contemplated by theplansapproved and thedivision permitsgranted. Held,dismissing therecourse:
(1)Itisawell settledprinciplethatarecourseisadmissible by an administrativeCourtonly iftheapplicant possessesadirectpresentconcretelegitimate interest (Kritiotisv.TheMunici- 1940 3 Cit.R. -><^'Rousos'^Others V/M* lity of Strovolos '''· ~ • ' palityof^aptoj^dO/^r^
(1986)3C.L.R.322citedwim"approval). »•'
(2)Inthiscaseapplicants'complaintrefers toasituationwhich may ariseinthefutureandwhichisnotexistingforthetimebeing. ·, •,ϊ,'ΛΛΟ 5 - t Ί *| -."Λ".' >...}• ;]·•,.-- "' •'•.'• · •-' V ' - '• ' ** ' '- '-(Vf ,;.' -λ.·"·, bourse dismissed:^, v ., „ ,r,,,' ,ri... i· ν , •- ..v.0 i. Mt> ' Costsinfavourtpfrespon^nts^ Cases'referredto: Ί; , ,, . , χ ,, . r n j ( , . ~ Ί . w ' l U - ' b ' ,7J Ρ ,»fli *..-? ΓΤ>! • • * '". ,* .4C ( " . ' 3 1 " '*- ^ 20 hi.; i t i - : ' . ., y, n ,_.,,.,^..•.:;...1.-,.( ,,·-, ...*·..· ^ . i · / » Recourseagainst thedecision of therespondents^ograntdivi-, sionpermits totheinterested parties in respectof^heir.prpperties A.Markides, forthe.applicants. ,,,,„,„ 15 _., 0 ; ν . Γ 0 ; - ' r. .Kritiotisv. TheMunicipalityofPaphosandOthers
(1986)3C.L.R. 322; r :• *irp.·Λ.νν tr.*i V- "; rMJ.i!'"t /ί ίI'-rj/'T .. ιj Jifi. i -.I .*.%"-• , I, ' /Avg<7toup/v.T/ic^e/iii6/ic
(1985)3C.L.R. 1525.. Recourse. 10 '*i t Γ . , ^ . , , ι c . : _ ,., >noV.J :. \AΊ ' .ι»tJ-b^cb vH;...·'; ·•·.^ •i.tvi» Jiv. *Λ 2* .-?·'• "J . j y . ' - . W «·*:.:!• •- -,r . ^ ^ M ,·. - i ^ . sQwr*gdv.yulL· , S A B I D E S J.,read the;following judgment;Applicants;by this .recourse,challenge,tnedecision of therespondenttogrant division permitstodisinterested partiesinrespectoftheirproperties underj plots;599rand 536, sheet/plan XXI/53. W.2,atStrovolos.« ..<* ti> Thefacts of thecase arebriefly asfollows: The applicants areco:owners of a plot of landjpf an,extentof 18,000 square feet, under registration E.3,plot 3, sheet/plan XXI/53:W.2 atStrovolos on.which theyconstructedthreehouses,two,on theground floor andoneonthefirstfloor.r , .' -„ni 25 InterestedParty Loukis G.Leonidouwastheownerof thead j 1941-' SavvidesJ. Rousos&Others v.M' lity of Strovolos
(1988)joiningplot599andinterestedpartyNazaretDavidianownerof plot536,bothofwhichwerelargepiecesofproperty. On2ndAugust, 1978,bothinterestedpartiesappliedtotheappropriate authorityfor thedivisionoftheirrespectiveproperties intobuilding sites.Thesaidapplications weresubmitted forex- 5 aminationtotheWaterDevelopmentDepartmentandtotheTown Planning andHousing Department for theirviewsandsubsequenltytovariousotherdepartmentsconcerned. Onthe3rdMay, 1979,theapplicantsaddressedalettertothe District Officer of Nicosia as Chairman of the Improvement 10 Board of Strovolos, which was then the appropriate authority, complainingabouttheproposeddivisionbytheinterestedparties oftheirpropertiesintobuildingsitesonthegroundthatapproval of suchdivision wouldinfuture affect theirproperty inthatone of theproposed roads to be constructed would in future affect 15 part of theirownproperty andrequested thereconsideration of thematterbefore anypermitwasgrantedtotheapplicants.Their complaintwassubmittedbytheDistrictOfficer totheTownPlanningandHousingDepartmentforhisopinion. Therespondentauthorityconsideredtheobjectionoftheappli- 20 cantsatseveralmeetingsandfinallydecidedthattheapplications oftheinterestedpartiesshouldbegrantedandon2ndApril,1980 approved theissueofpermitsE.002882/2/4/80tointerestedparty Loukis G. Leonidou and No.E. 0022883/2/4/80 to Nazaret Davidian.Thetermsendorsedonthesaidpermitsdidnotinclude ~ anyprovisionfortheconstructionofaroadthroughtheproperty of theapplicantsasthiswasamatterwhichmightbeconsidered infutureincasetheyappliedforanybuilding ordivisionpermit Asaresultapplicantsfiledthepresentrecoursechallengingthe grantofsuchpermits. The present recourse thoughfiledon 30th July, 1980,hasa long history. It wasoriginally directed againstthe Republicof CyprusthroughtheDistrictOfficer ofNicosia.Serviceononeof 1942 OQ 3 C.L.R. Rousos & Others v. M' lity of Strovolos 5 ,Q Savvides J. theiriterested'parties could'nofbeeffected due toabsence abroad during April,
- Then therewererepeatedchanges of counsel "and finally therecourse was'dismissed on 10th December, 1984 as abandoned due to non-compliance by counsel for applicants with thedirections to file a written address. It was subsequently reinstated.A numberof applications thenfollowed for the amend ment in Mayi 1987, by striking out the Republic as a party and substitution in theplace'thereoi""TheDistrict.Officer of Nicosia as Chairman of the Improvement Board of Strovolos". Subsequently on the 23rd December, 1987,"thetitle of trie action was amended for the last time toread concerning therespondents as follows: •t • ' ·' 1.The ImprovementBoard'of Strovolos 2.'TheMunicipality of Strovolos. * • r . 25 χ, 20 25 - ' I .. . ( t * . ( _,, ' ' ,' ' »' j . '. ' ' Μ ll' 'J' . ,' ' The reason being that the^Improvement Board of Strovolos •hadin themeanbmechanged intoa municipality.. ''Gounsel'for'applicants by'his'wntteh'a^iiress submitted,that theapplicants η ώ alegitimate'interest tochallenge thesub judice decision in thatthough'in theterms of thepermits nothing iscontaihed imposing any obligation oh the applicants to'construct a roadon;theirproperty it is apparentthatin the'future iif the appli cants wished todevelop their property they will"be asked by the appropriate authority togivepart of theirproperty for the widen ing and constructionof Nafplion street which is one of theroads contemplated by the plans approved'and the'division permits -granted. TTierefore,4h'e:appropriate authority without Having be 1 fore if an'application for thedivision ordevelopment of plot 3 of the applicants predecided and'bbund'itself as towhat itwill do if such anapplication is made by thVapplicants as owners of plot
- j Counsel for the'respdridentsToh'theCornerhand,'submitted that -theapplicants hadno'existing legitimate'interest to:challenge the subjudice decision inview of thefact thatnolegitiniate interest of theirs is affected atthis stage.™refuted theallegation*of theap plicants thattheappropriateauthoritycommitteditself for any fu1943 Savvides J. Rousos &Others v.M' lity of Strovolos
(1988)tureactionconcerningthedevelopmentofthepropertyoftheapplicantsandsubmitted thatanyapplication bytheapplicantsfor developmentordivisionof theirpropertyinfuture willbeconsidered on thefactual situation which will prevail atthe material time. Itisawellsettledprinciplethatarecourseisadmissiblebyan administrative Court only if the applicant possesses a direct present concrete legitimate interest.Useful reference in thisrespectmaybemadetoKritiotisv.TheMunicipalityofPaphosand Others
(1986)3C.L.R.322.Stylianides,J.reviewed severalau- IQ thoritiesonthematterandsaidthefollowing atp. 338: "...Though traditionallyarecourseforannulmentofanadministrativedecision isverywidelyopen,itisnotanactiopopularisopen toeverycitizen of thecountry.Acitizencannot contestthevalidity ofeveryadministrativeactunlesshepos- 15 sessesthequalityoflegitimateinterest.Haditbeenotherwise, theinflux oftherecourseswouldparalyseadministrativejustice andthejudicialcontrolwouldhavebecomeillusory; furthermoreforpracticalreasonstheadministration wouldalsobe handicapped inthedueperformaceofitsfunction. Thecriteri- 20 onistheexistenceofadirectrelationshipandaffectation ofan interest, materialormoral,of theapplicant,otherwise therecourseisdeprivedofitsadmissibility. Noexpress provision isto be found in Article 146itself, underwhicharecourseismade,yet,paragraph2ofthisArti- 2 5 cle,maybeusefully referred to.Itprovidesthat...'arecourse maybemadebyapersonwhoseanyexistinglegitimateinterest... isadversely anddirectly affected...'. Thusexpression is giventothebasicconditionprecedentoftheannulmentjurisdictionofanadministrativeCourt,viz.theexistenceofaninterestofanapplicant.Arecourseforannulmentrequiresinrespectoftheapplicantalegitimationadcausum-(seeFleiner, AdministrativeLaw,8thEdition,pp.212and243;OdentCotentieuxAdministratif-Fascicule IVpp. 1280-81;Tsatsos-The RecourseforAnnulmentBeforetheCouncilofState,3rdEdi- 35 1944 5 3 C.L.R. Rousos & Others v. M' lity of Strovolos Sawides J. tion, p.30)". 5 10 Theexistence of alegitimateinterestis aprerequisite underAr ticle 146.2 of theConstitutionandlackof alegitimate interestexisting atthetimeof thefilingof therecoursedeprives theCourtof thepower todeal with, a recourse (Avgoloupi v. The Republic
(1985)3 C.L.R. 1525):"' Inthecircumstancesof thepresentcase andonthebasis of the materialbefore meIhavecometotheconclusionthatnopresent direct legitimate interest of the applicants is affected and their complaintrefers to^situationvvhich mavjarise in^thefuture and which is^notexisting forthe time being.,Forthese-reasons I have cometotheconclusion.thatthisrecourseshouldfail.--, rΛ,-.AL't r-tiV". *ll , In theresult therecourse is dismissed with costs in favour of therespondents. 15 . » « » *' ή'.-.'αν, r\Anmy .-' Recourse dismissed . -,.A\withcosts.'* ' U J *•'· \i *J\ U · ' ·"· " . . . -»-v.'>'.;3 ' ; "ft* ν, '.• -""^ j"^τV*'.*;τ^Ί:-ij-in-t'-·*rj*#i » ν cur.:.ι^ "ϊ"*'' ν-' Γ··)