The lawyer of the sole surviving gunman of last year's Mumbai terror attacks has been dismissed over failing to prepare a court document on time.

Pakistani suspect's lawyer Abbas Kazmi was fired by Indian judge M.L. Tahiliyani on Monday for failing to provide a list of witnesses he planned to examine, said Ujwal Nikam, the public prosecutor in the case.

The judge appointed Kazmi's deputy, K.P. Pawar, to take over as defense attorney, the Associated Press reported.

In April, the court appointed Kazmi to defend Mohammed Ajmal Amir Qasab after several other attorneys refused to represent him.

Qasab is being tried along with two Indian co-defendants accused of facilitating the November 2008 attacks on Mumbai that killed more than 160 people.

They have been charged with 12 criminal counts, including murder and waging war against India. If convicted, all three could put on death row.

AGB/TG/MMN