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Former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that it is not important for him to return to power, but what’s important is to have a democratically-elected government in the Maldives.

In an interview with Zeenews of India, Nasheed said that it does not matter who is elected President, as long as he is elected through free and fair elections and not through "brutal force”.

"It does not matter who is elected President in Maldives as long as there is an election and people decide who should be ruling them," he told Zeenews.

Referring to the arrest of Chief Judge of Criminal Court Abdulla Mohamed, Nasheed said that he could have handled the situation differently.

He said that even though a democratic government can be put in place by elections, “there was no election that could create a judiciary”.

According to Nasheed, the Judges in the Maldives were "handpicked by former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. The dictatorship was hiding behind the judiciary."

"All the human rights abuse cases and corruption cases were sitting with the judges. We were not able to do anything. People were losing confidence in the judiciary," Nasheed told Zeenews.

Even though Nasheed makes these charges, the Supreme Court bench was set up and sent to Parliament for approval during this administration.

Nasheed admitted that it was not a good decision to arrest Judge Abdulla Mohamed: “Yes it was not the best thing to remove the judge in that fashion. But in the absence of anyone doing anything, I believe that had to be done to restore confidence of the people in the judiciary. The President had to do it. I am sorry that happened. In hindsight there may have been many other ways to do it but I do not think having a coup justifies anything."

Nasheed further told Zeenews that he plans to travel to India next month to obtain support for an early election, during which he will meet with several political groups - including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"I will talk to the Indian people. Our love for India will never die. When we start talking to the people, the Indian government will also listen. Whatever may be the reason that India was unable to do what we wanted them to do, but I think they will come around," Nasheed told Zeenews.