A BLO’s Tears & A Note Of Love: Assam Bends Rules, Refuses To Let Zubeen Garg Go

Last Updated:December 02, 2025, 16:14 IST

When a voter passes away, their name must be removed from the list. But in this case, the BLO could not bring himself to delete the artist’s name

Women pay tribute to music icon Zubeen Garg on his birth anniversary in Guwahati. (PTI)

In Assam, the legacy of the late singer Zubeen Garg continues to echo through everyday life in the most unexpected ways. During the otherwise routine, bureaucratic exercise of revising voter lists, one such moment of pure emotion quietly unfolded, revealing just how deeply the state still holds its beloved artist.

During the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Assam, Booth Level Officer (BLO) Tofijuddin Ahmed visited the residence of the late Zubeen Garg. Normally, when a voter passes away, their name must be removed from the voter list. But in this case, the BLO could not bring himself to delete the artist’s name.

The incident, which took place in Guwahati, was brought to light by Garg’s sister, Dr Palmee Borthakur. Expressing her gratitude to the BLO in a Facebook post, she wrote: “Your love is our strength. We are grateful to you, brother Tofijuddin."

Across Assam, unlike in many other parts of the country, the Special Revision of the electoral roll is currently underway. BLOs are busy collecting data from households. The revision work is being carried out in Bhagadattapur, Kahilipara, Guwahati as well, where the family of the late Zubeen Garg lived in an apartment. The BLO assigned to the area, Ahmed, visited the residence as part of the revision process.

When Ahmed attempted to remove Zubeen Garg’s name from the voter list, his hands began to tremble. Unable to strike off the name, he instead penned a heartfelt note beside it: “May he remain immortal forever…" According to the rules of the Special Revision, the names of deceased individuals must be deleted, but when it comes to someone like Zubeen Garg, the emotions speak louder than the rules.

It has now been 73 days since Assam lost its beloved artist. Even today, many people struggle to accept that he is no more. His admirers continue to keep him alive through his timeless creations. Zubeen Garg had travelled to Singapore to participate in the North East Festival, but on the afternoon of September 19, heart-breaking news arrived that he had tragically and mysteriously passed away in the waters of Singapore. On the morning of September 21, the artist who had left Assam full of energy and smiles returned home in a sealed coffin.

News politics A BLO’s Tears & A Note Of Love: Assam Bends Rules, Refuses To Let Zubeen Garg Go

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