Electoral Officer’s Emotional Tribute to Zubeen Garg Reflects Assam’s Enduring Love for the Late Icon

In Assam, the name Zubeen Garg evokes more than admiration; it inspires devotion. His music, activism and larger-than-life presence made him a figure woven into the everyday fabric of Assamese society. When he passed away in September, the grief that followed was deep, heartfelt, and widespread. Months later, that grief continues to manifest in ways that capture the profound bond the people of Assam still feel with him. One such moment surfaced recently when an electoral officer, unable to contain his feelings, chose not to label Zubeen as “deceased” in the voter list.

As part of preparations for the next state assembly elections, the Election Commission of India ordered a special revision of the electoral roll in Assam. This process required booth-level officers to visit households and verify every entry. Among them was Tafiz Uddin, who had been assigned responsibility for an area previously home to the Garg family.

When Tafiz flipped through the list and saw Zubeen Garg’s name and photograph, he froze. The reality of the singer’s absence struck him with renewed force. Instead of completing his bureaucratic duty by marking the entry as belonging to a deceased voter, Tafiz wrote a single line of tribute in his own handwriting: “Stay immortal forever; may your soul rest in eternal peace.”

Speaking later to the press, Tafiz admitted that he could not bring himself to tick the box indicating Zubeen’s death. “How could I? For us, he wasn’t just a singer. He lived in our hearts. He sang our dreams. He carried Assam’s identity wherever he went. Writing ‘deceased’ next to his name felt wrong—too final, too cold,” he said.

The incident may have taken place in a modest neighbourhood during a routine verification round, but its emotional weight quickly captured public attention. Palomi Barthakur, representing the late artist’s family, shared the story on social media. She expressed heartfelt appreciation for the officer’s gesture, writing that such love keeps the family strong during their continuing period of mourning. “This love is our courage. I am grateful to Tafiz Uddin da,” she wrote.

It is not difficult to understand why feelings surrounding Zubeen Garg remain so intense. Over decades, he became one of Assam’s most influential cultural figures. His contributions spanned Assamese, Bengali and Hindi music. His activism, particularly on issues relating to language, identity and social justice, earned him a special place in public life. To many, he symbolised the heart and voice of Assam.

His last days were spent in Singapore, where he died on 19 September. The news shook the state; thousands gathered in mourning, and tributes poured in from across India and beyond. Yet the emotional response of Tafiz Uddin shows that the connection people felt with Zubeen did not vanish with time.

In refusing to reduce the singer’s life to a bureaucratic marking, Tafiz gave voice to a collective sentiment—one that sees Zubeen Garg not as a figure of the past but as an enduring presence. His gesture, small but deeply symbolic, will likely be remembered as part of the vast tapestry of tributes that continue to honour the man whose songs still echo across Assam.