Alvin Robert Cornelius, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

Alvin Robert Cornelius

Pakistani jurist, legal philosopher and judge

Date of Birth: 08-May-1903

Place of Birth: Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Date of Death: 21-Dec-1991

Profession: judge, lawyer

Nationality: India, Pakistan

Zodiac Sign: Taurus


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About Alvin Robert Cornelius

  • Chief Justice Alvin "Bobby" Robert Cornelius (8 May 1903 – 21 December 1991), HPk, was a Pakistani jurist, legal philosopher and judge, serving as the 4th Chief Justice of Pakistan from 1960 until 1968.
  • In addition, he served as Law Minister in the cabinet of Yahya Khan, 1969 – 16 December 1971. Cornelius was born in Agra, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh in India, to an Anglo-Indian Christian family.
  • He did his schooling from St.
  • Peter's College, Agra.
  • Cornelius graduated from Allahabad University in India and Selwyn College at Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
  • He was commissioned into the Indian Civil Service and was the assistant commissioner in the Punjab Province, starting his judicial career in the Lahore High Court in 1943, then later joining the Justice department of the Punjab government.
  • During this time, Cornelius became a recognised jurist, publishing important text books in Pakistani legal history during his career.
  • Cornelius also became a leading activist for the Pakistan Movement. In 1946, Cornelius was elevated to associate judge at the Lahore High Court, and opting for Pakistan, Cornelius became an important figure in country's legal history.
  • Initially serving as the law secretary for Law Minister Jogendra Nath Mandal and Prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan, Cornelius played an integral role setting up the court system while advising the law minister and the prime minister.
  • Among his notable cases included the actions defending Non-Muslims rights (Freedom of religion), Bogra case against the Presidential reserve powers (see inactive Article 58(2)B of the VIII Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan), defending workplace and labour laws, sports law in Pakistan Cricket Board.
  • Cornelius was regarded as a man of justice, warning and fighting against the religious extremism, as he quoted in his case, "A general feeling of [great] despair, a widespread of [self] confidence...
  • and common readiness in the anticipate the worst".In 1960, President Ayub Khan nominated Cornelius to become the Chief Justice of Pakistan, his contest was briefly discussed, but eventually he was elevated to Chief Justice.
  • Alvin Robert Cornelius became the first Christian Chief Justice, becoming one of the most famous and influential figures ever to serve on the supreme court.
  • After his departure from the supreme court, Cornelius remained influential and was a symbol protecting the rights of minorities, freedom of religious practices, whilst serving as the legal adviser to successive Government of Pakistan on judicial matters.
  • His opinions, according to legal scholars in Pakistan, were some of the greatest defences of "freedom of religion" written by a Christian Chief Justice of a Muslim state.

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