2012-UNAT-252, Khambatta
UNAT considered an appeal by the Secretary-General. UNAT held that appeals against decisions taken during proceedings are receivable only in exceptional circumstances where UNDT has manifestly exceeded its jurisdiction. UNAT held that even though UNDT may have committed a procedural error, it had not exceeded its jurisdiction. UNAT dismissed the appeal.
UNDT Judgment: The Applicant filed an application for suspension of action of the decision not to extend her temporary appointment. UNDT ordered suspension of the decision not to extend her contract pending the outcome of the management evaluation, since all the conditions listed in Article 2.2 of the Tribunal’s Statute had been fulfilled.
This tribunal has consistently held that as a general rule only appeals against judgments concerning matters of substance are receivable. Appeals against decisions taken during proceedings, however, denominated by the UNDT (order, judgment, etc.), are non-receivable save in those exceptional cases where the UNDT has clearly exceeded its competence.