Justice Lodha, who took over as 41st CJI, has favoured wider consultation with people outside collegium "without tinkering" with the memorandum of procedure prescribed by the Law Ministry in appointment of judges.
"It is for the first time that any CJI has openly admitted the importance of the Bar in the process of selection of judges," DHCBA President Rajiv Khosla said in a statement.
The Bar body expressed gratitude to the CJI for favouring reforms in the selection process of judges.
"The legal fraternity in India has since long been urging for reforms in the selection process of judges as after the adoption of collegium system, the appointments had been largely made amongst the relatives and closed acquaintances of judges," the release said.