A controversy has erupted after the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) released its holiday list for 2026, excluding Me-Dam-Me-Phi, a statutory state holiday celebrated annually on January 31 by the Ahom community. The omission stands in sharp contrast to APDCL’s 2025 holiday calendar, where Me-Dam-Me-Phi was duly included as an official holiday.
Me-Dam-Me-Phi, a day dedicated to ancestor worship, is one of the most important cultural and religious observances of the Ahom people and is recognised every year as a state holiday by the Government of Assam. Ahom organisations have alleged that APDCL’s 2026 list does not comply with the state government’s notified holiday norms.
According to the 2026 APDCL document, several other community-specific festivals have been retained, but Me-Dam-Me-Phi is missing, prompting anger and confusion among Ahom groups. The company has not issued any clarification on whether the exclusion was an administrative oversight or a deliberate decision. 
Reacting sharply, Amardeep Gogoi, Secretary of the Kamrup Division and General Secretary of the All Assam Ahom Association, questioned the motive behind the omission.
“What is the hidden agenda behind this? What is APDCL trying to prove? If festivals of other communities are given holidays, why is the Ahom community being excluded?” he said.
Gogoi further said that Ahoms form an integral part of Assam’s cultural fabric and alleged that the move reflects an “unacceptable disregard” for the community’s traditions. He demanded an immediate correction of the holiday list and a formal explanation from APDCL.
