Which of the following cannot be dissolved but abolished?

The answer is D) Legislative Council. The key distinction is between dissolution and abolition. Dissolution ends the life of a House that has a fixed term, and the body is then reconstituted by fresh elections. Abolition removes the institution itself.

• Council of State (Rajya Sabha): Under Article 83(1), it is a permanent body. It cannot be dissolved, and it is not abolished by ordinary means, because it is a constitutional institution of Parliament with one-third of members retiring every second year.
• House of the People (Lok Sabha) and Legislative Assembly: Both can be dissolved, under Article 85(2) and Article 174(2) respectively, and both have a five-year term.
• Legislative Council (state): It is not dissolved, since one-third of its members retire every two years. Under Article 169, however, Parliament can abolish a state's Legislative Council if the state Legislative Assembly passes a resolution by a special majority requesting it.

The concept links to the Centre-state and federal structure, which is a standard Mains theme on the design of bicameralism in India.

Trap: Candidates often pick Council of State because Rajya Sabha is the 'upper house' and feels permanent in every sense. The exam tests the specific Article 169 route for abolishing state councils.