Former opposition member of parliament, Niko Nawaikula. [File Photo]

Former opposition MP, Niko Nawaikula is challenging the validity of his vacant parliamentary seat in court.

This after Nawaikula has taken the matter to the Court of Disputed Returns.

The matter was called in the Suva High Court today.

The Supervisor of Elections has been given time until next week to file an affidavit and Nawaikula to file his submissions by next Friday.

The hearing date has been set for the 11th of August and a ruling is expected soon after.

The Fijian Elections Office had referred Nawaikula to the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption in June after Nawaikula during a debate in Parliament on VoterCard had said he is usually known as Niko Nawaikula, but that’s not the name on his birth certificate and his name on the VoterCard is incorrect.

Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem at the time said FICAC is to investigate whether Nawaikula provided a false declaration to a registration official when he made an application to replace his VoterCard on 22 June 2017.

A person can only be a candidate if the name is registered in the register.

Nawaikula’s name was removed by the Supervisor of Elections from the Register of Voters which also removed his right to be nominated as a candidate to parliament and his seat was declared vacant thereafter.