London, July 30 - With India's Supreme Court ruling in his favour, artist M.F. Husain has spoken of hopes that the changing political scenarios in the country will ease his return home after eight years in self-exile.

'The Supreme Court judgement is there. That is the judgement,' the painter, who works out of London and Dubai, said Wednesday.

'I never said I won?t go back. I didn?t feel it was time. Because the political scenarios keep on changing, so I?m hoping? all the time,' he told an audience at the Nehru Centre in London.

Although there is no ban on his return, the 94-year-old painter has faced years of violent protests by Hindu militants after he painted Indian goddesses in the nude.

But the Supreme Court ruled in the artist?s favour in September 2008 when it threw out an attempt to launch criminal proceedings against him for allegedly hurting public sentiments through his paintings.

Asked Wednesday if the new government could do anything to enable him to return home, Husain said, 'Actually, there is no ban on my return. I?m working outside - for the past 60 years I?ve been doing like that.'

'I can go back anytime,' said Husain.