As per Section 2 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, an "administrator" is a person appointed by a competent authority to administer the estate of a deceased person in which of the following situations?

Section 2 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 lays out several foundational definitions, and clause (a) specifically defines an "administrator" as a person appointed by a competent authority to manage a deceased person's estate whenever no executor has been named. This situation typically arises either when the deceased died intestate, meaning without leaving a valid will at all, or when a will exists but fails to appoint an executor, or the named executor is unable or unwilling to act. The same section also defines an "executor" in clause (c) as the person specifically confided by the testator's appointment in the will to carry out its terms, distinguishing this role clearly from that of a court-appointed administrator. Clause (b) further defines a "codicil" as a supplementary instrument that explains, alters, or adds to the dispositions of an existing will, and importantly, it is deemed to form part of that will itself. These foundational definitions matter significantly in practice, since only a person granted probate, letters of administration, or holding the correct executor/administrator status can legally represent the deceased's estate in court proceedings under Section 213 of the Act.