Electoral behavior has become a crucial area of study, drawing attention from the public, media, election management firms, policymakers, and political parties. In the Indian electoral context, the voting preferences of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) significantly influence election outcomes. This study focused on Gaya district in Bihar, which has the largest SC population in the state.

The findings revealed that SC voters exhibited pre-established voting preferences and were notably open about sharing their choices. In contrast, non-Dalit voters displayed confidence in their preferences but remained largely reticent when discussing them

Funding: Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Delhi
Principal Investigator: Mr. Manish Kumar & Dr. Sanjeev Kumar
Year: 2015-17