The latest instance, which has provoked the CPI, is the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government’s move to have metropolitan police commissionerate system in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

In a robust reassertion of its identity, the CPI has dashed off a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan objecting to the move without holding detailed discussions within the LDF.

In his letter, Revenue Minister E. Chandrashekharn has drawn the attention of the Chief Minister that the CPI(M) had strongly opposed the commissionerate system when it was brought by the erstwhile Oommen Chandy Government in 2013.

This being the case, any move to implement the commissionerate system should be taken only after taking the allies into confidence, the letter said.

The CPI’s objection stems from the fear that district collectors and revenue divisional officers, who mainly come under the Revenue Department held by the party, would lose their magisterial powers to the police.

The CPI’s opposition has followed the Chief Minister’s announcement in the State Assembly the other day that officers with IG rank posted in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram as police commissioners would share the magisterial powers with district magistrates, additional district magistrates and revenue divisional officers who presently hold such powers.

Incidentally, the Law Department is also against implementing the commissionerate system on the ground that the decision could face legal hurdles as well.

The Chief Minister has, however, defended the move. Introduction of the new system, the CM asserted, would further empower the police, besides making crime investigation and maintenance of law and order more efficient.

The CM also sought to rebut the criticism voiced by the Opposition, claiming that it was the UDF which had taken the decision to implement the police commissionerate system. The LDF Government is only trying to carry it forward, he pointed out.

However, with the CPI objecting to the move, the decision could come up for discussion within the LDF. The CPI(M) is unlikely to go ahead in the matter in view of the political and electoral setback the LDF has suffered in the Lok Sabha elections. (IPA Service)