HONGKONG people are likely to be left in the dark about the deliberations of the working panel, which is set to adopt secrecy rules at the end of its first plenum today.
This is despite repeated pledges by senior Chinese leaders that Beijing would widely consult the territory on transitional matters.
Under a set of working regulations on the body to be passed today, members will not be allowed to divulge details of their discussions without authorisation.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the body, a Hongkong vice-chairman, Ann Tse-kai, reminded members not to tell the public what they discuss.
''You can publicise your own views but not those of others,'' he said.
Chairman of the panel, Qian Qichen, pledged to make their work more democratic by listening to the views of ''various sectors of society, including Hongkong''.