Legislative Drafting Manual

Non 
– Governmental consultation  

Involve as many concerned participants as possible; There is always a risk 
that smaller interest groups or less organized interests may be overlooked, or 
that the process is not truly or fully representative, giving rise to criticisms as to 
its legitimacy.
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10 

To be most effective, design the consultations to produce useful information 
which can contribute to the further development of the draft.

Develop a procedure that would enable those consulted to offer experience, 
special knowledge and relevant data.

For the above reason provide participants with a clear statement of objectives 
of the proposals, and your current thinking on the nature of the problem, the 
method or methods for its resolution and the likely impact of the draft.

But beware that the precise nature of the information provided will depend in 
part on the purpose of the consultation. If you are using consultation as a 
mode of checking whether a new scheme is complete and or workable, it may 
be sensible to circulate the draft bill, with a series of precise questions. In 
practice, this form of consultation is the one most widely used.

Do not hold consultation if it is not appropriate for reasons, e.g. of 
confidentially, national security or another such public interest, or because the 
matters are based on essentially political considerations.
Mode of consultation

Use written correspondences if the number of participants is small.

Hold seminars, workshops etc. if the consultation involves many stakeholders.
Expert Consultation

Select the appropriate experts (academicians, practitioners and researchers) 
on the areas the draft is concerned

Lawyers are not the only experts; so involve experts of other disciplines
Example: Engineers, if the draft is on construction; physicians if the draft is 
on say medical malpractice