Justice Battu Devanand posed the question to Muruganandam and his predecessor Shiv Das Meena, who appeared in person before the court following statutory notices to them in connection with a suo motu contempt case.
He asked to submit a preliminary report on the matter within 24 hours and a final report within a week.
The Delhi water minister regretted that no interim or permanent member has been appointed since the tenure of the incumbent members expired in mid-October.
A major reshuffle in the IAS cadre posts in the state is likely by the end of this year after the retirement of the chief secretary (CS) Hari Krishna Dwivedi.
He said incidents of stubble burning have reduced by 38 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022 when the state recorded 2,083 such cases.
The petitioner asked whether the bureaucratic head of the state has the jurisdiction to request the Election Commission to conduct elections to a particular constituency just because the Chief Minister of the state 'intends to contest' from there.
