internal work applications

[meecha]

Hi, My Manager has just gone on leave for 1 yr. Her post was advertised internally for a 6 month contract. the internal email advertising the post came out on 5th Aug with a closing date of 12th Aug. it took 4 emails and 3 phone calls before the app form was eventually sent to me via email on the 11th Aug. i submitted the app form on time tho i only had one day to complete it. I then discovered that the post had also been advertised through a recruitment agency from the 3rd Aug.I was the only internal applicant and was interviewed last thursday. 4 other recruitment agency applicants were also interviewed. they did not have to go through the same application process as me and only had to submit a CV. the salary advertised on the recruitment website is lower than the salary paid through my employers. I recieved a call from HR this morning to say i had not been successful. There is nothing i can do if someone genuinely scored higher than me on interview but i would be interested in knowing if all is above board in the recruitment process. just 2 months ago, another person was promoted to another project and that post was not advertised at all. that person did not enjoy the post and requested to go back to her original post and there has been another person promoted within the team and once again that post was not advertised at all.Thanks for taking the time to read this and though i dont hold out much hope that i will have any legal recourse here but i look forward to your comments.