The organization of the Chief Labour Commissioner(Central) also known as Central Industrial Relations Machinery is an apex organization in the country responsible for maintaining harmonious industrial relations mainly in the sphere of central Government. In pursuance of the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Labour in India, the organization was set up in April, 1945 by combining the former organizations of the conciliation Officer (Railways), Supervisor of Railway Labour and the Labour Welfare Advisor. It was then charged mainly with duties of prevention and settlement of industrial disputes, enforcement of labour laws and to promote welfare of workers in the industrial establishments falling within the sphere of the Central Government. It started with a small complement of staff comprising Chief Labour Commissioner(C) at New Delhi, 3 Regional Labour Commissioners at Bombay, Kolkata & Lahore, 8 Conciliation Officers and 18 Labour Inspectors. The Conciliation Officers and Labour Inspector were re-designated as Assistant Labour Commissioner (C) and Labour Enforcement Officer (C). The organization was further augmented gradually consequent upon increase in the number of labour legislations in the post-independence period, increased industrial activity in the country and growing responsibilities of the organization by establishing regional offices at Kanpur, Dhanbad, Madras, Asansol, Ajmer, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshawar and an office of Dy.CLC(C) at Dhanbad.

In order to secure better conciliation, preventive mediation and more effective enforcement of labour laws, a scheme to further strengthening of the Central Industrial Relations Machinery was approved under the sixth five-year plan. As a result, three more regions with headquarters at Guwahati, Chandigarh and Bangalore were created during 1981-82. Three more new regions with Headquarters at Ahmedabad, New Delhi and Cochin were created under the seventh five-year plan in 1987-88. Two new regions Dehradun and Raipur with headquarters at Uttranchal and Chattisgarh respectively were created in the year 2005 by reallocating officers and staff within the existing strength of the officers and staff .