An essential feature of a Will is that it comes into effect only on the death of the executant. Till that event, a Will can be revoked or altered any number of times. This can be done either by revoking the entire Will and executing a new Will or by writing a supplementary document adding or deleting or modifying the contents of the original Will.

Section 62 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925 expressly permits such revocation or alteration. Section 2(b) of the act provides that the document by which a Will is altered or any of its provisions explained or additions made to original disposition, is termed ‘codicil’ which needs to be written and executed in the same manner as a Will and which, after execution, becomes a part of the Will.