Challenging an Administrative Decision in Egypt: An Overview

When a government body issues a decision that an affected person believes is unlawful, Egyptian law grants them the right to challenge it before the administrative judiciary. Egypt's State Council, governed by Law No. 47 of 1972, has exclusive jurisdiction to rule on requests to annul final administrative decisions and other administrative disputes.

The general rule is that the deadline for filing a lawsuit to annul an administrative decision is sixty days from the date the decision was published or the affected person was notified. Missing this deadline can result in the case being dismissed on procedural grounds, regardless of how valid the underlying objection may be.

An affected person may submit a grievance to the government body that issued the decision before filing a lawsuit, which tolls the 60-day deadline. If the body does not respond within sixty days, this is treated as an implicit rejection, after which a new deadline begins. An exception exists for a severe lack of authority ("usurpation of power"), where the decision is treated as void and not bound by the 60-day deadline.

Any delay can permanently forfeit the opportunity to challenge a decision, regardless of how valid the objection is on the merits. It's strongly advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in administrative litigation as soon as a decision is issued that you believe has harmed your rights — you can book a consultation with our team.