Can a non-lawyer appear in court on behalf of a litigant?

Yes, subject to the prior approval of court, on a motion by the litigant, a non-lawyer may appear in court to argue a case. It is the court’s prerogative to grant or refuse permission to a non-lawyer to appear before itself. The apex court in a 1978 judgment held that a non-lawyer does not have a right to argue, but may be permitted to argue based on the antecedents, the relationship, the reasons for requisitioning the services of the private person and a variety of other circumstances as may be determined on a case to case basis.