The commission was preceded by a Politics and Law Leading Group (;
Zhèngfǎ Lǐngdǎo Xiǎozǔ) which was set up in 1958, with
Peng Zhen as its leader. This was followed by the establishment of Politics and Law Leading Groups at CCP committees in provinces, prefectures, and counties, with these groups being empowered to coordinate the work of law enforcement agencies. However, the group was restricted to the solving of major criminal cases or legal disputes, and had no social control and surveillance functions. During the
Cultural Revolution, the group ceased to function. The group was re-established after the Cultural Revolution, with its mandate being research on major policy issues and assist the work of the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The powers of the CPLC grew during the 1990s, leading its local branches to become the leading bodies for social control and surveillance. In 1995, the
CCP General Office issued a directive stating that CPLC branches had the responsibility to "organize and coordinate the work of social comprehensive management of law and order and public safety. In 1996, the
610 Office was set up inside the CPLC. In November 2003, the CCP implemented a rule stating that a member of the standing committee of the local party committee or a deputy governor or mayor should concurrently serve as director of the local public security agency. The apparent downgrading of the post followed Zhou's connection with the
Wang Lijun incident, which has discredited
Chongqing politician
Bo Xilai's method of using the internal security apparatus for political ends. Reforms under CCP
general secretary Xi Jinping emphasizing simultaneous need for rule of law and stability have subsequently affected the commission. The commission now has a more policy-and-research oriented focus, although the CCP still maintains control over the legal system. In May 2021, the commission was criticized after an account belonging to it posted an image on
Sina Weibo of a rocket launch in China next to a photo of mass cremations in India as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, it was reported that the commission operates a
predictive policing system against
Uyghurs and others. == Functions ==