(1988)1988April30 [KOURRIS, l] INTHEMATTER OFARTICLE 146OFTHECONSTITUTION MELIS MICHAEL, Applicant, v. 1.THE MINISTRY OFFINANCE, 2. THE DIRECTOR OFPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ANDPERSONNEL, Respondents. (CaseNo. 144/87). Public Officers—Promotions—Competency—The only competent organ is the Public Service Commission—Recourse impugning validity of refusal topromote—Neither theMinister ofFinance nor theDirector of Personnel couldbemadeparties—Recourse dismissedonthatground. Revisional Jurisdiction—Practice—Recourse for annulment—Parties— Respondents not having competency in the matter—They could not be joined as respondents. Public Officers—Promotions—Change ofsalary scale—Provisionfor promotion if, inter alia, an officer servesfor a year on the top of his scale— Demand for promotion based on service at top scale of the old scale— 10 910 5 3 C.L.R. Michael v. Ministry of Justice Unjustified—Thereisnovestedrightinaschemeofservice. Public Officers—Promotions—Thereisnovestedrighttopromotion. PublicOfficers—Schemesofservice—Thereisnovestedrighttoascheme of service. c Thefactsofthiscasesufficiently appearinthejudgmentoftheCourt. Recoursedismissed. ' Costsagainstapplicant. Casesreferredto: AlexandrouandOthersv. TheRepublic
(1984)3C.L.R.15; 10 Economides v.The Republic
(1972)3C.L.R. 506; GeorghiouandOthersv. TheRepublic
(1983)3C.L.R. 827; Papadopoulou v. TheRepublic
(1984)3C.L.R. 332; StavrouandAnothery.TheRepublic,
(1987)3CLA.276. Recourse. 15 Recourseagainst therefusal oftherespondentstopromoteapplicanttothepostofAccountingOfficer 1stGrade. A. Papacharalambous,fortheapplicant. ' 1 A. Papasavvas,Senior Counsel of the Republic, for therespondents. 20 * Cur.adv.vult. KOURRIS J.readthefollowing judgment.Theapplicantby thepresentrecourseseeksadeclarationoftheCourtthattherefu,911 KourrisJ. Michaelv.Ministry ofJustice
(1988)sal of therespondents topromotetheapplicanttothepostof Ac counting Officer, 1st Grade, and communicated to him on 28.12.1986 isvoid andof nolegal effect whatsoever. Theapplicantwas appointedinthepostofAccounting Officer 3rd Gradeon a daily basis on 22.11.1975 andon2.8.1976he 5 becamepermanentinthatpost.On 15.12.1978 hewaspromoted tothepostof AccountingOfficer, 2ndGrade, undersalary scale 9 (£926χ 46 - 1220). Applicant on 1.1.1979was emplaced un der salary scale A7 (£2100χ 105-3150) by virtue of thePublic Service (Increaseof Salaries and Restructuringof Salary Scales 10 and Certain Offices) Law 1979 (Law 58/79) published on 2.7.1979 and having retrospective effect as from 1.1.1979. Throughout theyears 1978 - 1987 (exhibit 1)therewas inthe Budget Laws thefollowing provision with regard to Accounting Officers 2ndGrade:15 "AccountingOfficers, 2ndGrade,withanappropriateUni versity Degreeorprofessional accountingqualification maybe promoted to thepost of Accounting Officer, 1st Grade,on completionofoneyearon themaximumof thesalary scaleof their post, irrespective of theexistence of vacancies or the 20 numberofpostsinthe 1stGradeoncondition thatthenumber of serving Accounting Officers, 1st,2ndand3rdGrade,will notexceed theapprovedestablishmentof therespectiveposts takentogether." It shouldbenotedthatundertheschemeof service of theold 25 salary scale9,anAccountingOfficer 2ndGradecouldreach the top scale within7 years, whereas theschemes of service ofthe new salary scale,A.7envisaged 10years toreach thetopscale. Applicant possessed theacademicqualifications, which is a UniversityDegreeandthought thathewaseligible for promotion 30 if hecompleted7 years' service andalso served oneyear atthe topscaleaccordingtotheschemeofservice of theoldsalary scale 9,despite hisemplacementinsalary scaleA7 andheaddresseda letterdated20.10.1986 totheDirectorof thePublicAdministration 912 3 C.L.R. Michael v. Ministry of Justice Kourris J. andPersonnelService throughtheAccountant-General(exhibitA of theapplication),andherequested himtoplacehisrequestbe fore thePublic Service Commission. Intheletterhe contended thathehadavestedrighttobepromotedwithin 8years. This is 5 notanoffice withacombinedestablishment TheAccountant-Generalforwarded applicant'slettertotheDi rectorof PublicAdministration andPersonnelService with acov ering letter dated 27.10.1986,agreeing with thecontentionsof theapplicantandrecommendinghispromotion.(Appendix II to 10 theopposition). The Directorof thePublic Administration and PersonnelService rejected theapplicationof theapplicantonthe ground thatapplicant had toserveone year on thetopof salary scale A7 tobeeligiblefor promotion(Appendix ΠΙ totheopposi tion). Hencethepresentrecourse. 15 Before dealing with thesubstance of theapplication,I would liketoobserve thattheappropriate authority for promotionsof public officers is thePublic Service Commission established un derthePublicService Law, 1967 (Law 33/67),andnotthe Direc torof PublicAdministration andPersonnel Service. 20 Inthepresent case, theapplicant filed arecourse against the Ministry of Financeandthe Directorof PublicAdministrationand Personnel Service, alleging that they refused topromotehimto thepostof Accounting Officer, 1st Grade.Obviously, the appro priate organ for promotions is the Public Service Commission 25 anditfollows thatneitherthe Ministerof Financenorthe Director of Public Administration and Personnel Service could bemade parties,as they could nothave exercised anycompetenceinthe matter. Forthisreason,therecourse is dismissed. 30 Ipropose to deal with the substance of the recourse if it is held thatapplicant rightly proceeded against theMinister of Fi nanceand theDirectorof Public Administration andPersonnel Service. Itis settledinadministrative law thataPublicOfficer has 913 Kourris J. Michael v.Ministry of Justice
(1988)notavestedrightforpromotion (SeeGeorghiosAlexandrouand Othersv. Republic
(1984)3C.L.R. 15).Also,thecontentionof applicant thathehasavestedrightintheold schemeofservice has no substance.No suchrightexists. (SeeGeorghios Economidesv.TheRepublic
(1972)3C.L.R. 506;CostasGeorghiou 5 andOthersv.TheRepublic
(1983)3C.L.R. 827;Papadopoullou v.Republic
(1984)3 C.L.R. 332; and StavrouandAnother v. Republic
(1987)3C.L.R. 276). Forallthesereasons,therecourseof theapplicant fails with costsagainsthimtobeassessedbytheRegistrar. 10 Recoursedismissed withcostsagainstapplicant. 914