The method of election of the members of the Rajya Sabha on the basis of proportional representation by the State legislature was borrowed from the Constitution of South Africa.

- The Rajya Sabha, or the Council of States, is the upper house of the Parliament of India. It represents the interests of the states and union territories of India. The members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the members of the State legislatures.
- Proportional representation is a system of voting that aims to ensure that the number of seats a political party wins in an election is proportional to the number of votes it receives. This system is used in many countries around the world.
- The concept of proportional representation was borrowed from the Constitution of South Africa. South Africa adopted proportional representation as a means to ensure fair representation for all political parties and minority groups in their legislature.
- The Constitution of South Africa, adopted in 1996, provides for a bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces. The National Council of Provinces is similar to the Rajya Sabha in India and represents the interests of the provinces.
- In South Africa, the members of the National Council of Provinces are elected by the provincial legislatures through a system of proportional representation. This system ensures that the seats in the Council are allocated proportionally to the political parties based on the votes they receive in the provincial elections.
- The framers of the Indian Constitution took inspiration from the Constitution of South Africa and adopted the system of proportional representation for the election of members of the Rajya Sabha. This was done to ensure that the states and union territories are represented fairly in the upper house of Parliament.
- The adoption of proportional representation in the election of Rajya Sabha members helps to prevent the domination of the upper house by a few states with larger populations. It provides a platform for smaller states to have a voice in the legislative process and ensures that their interests are taken into consideration.