Candidate selection process has been fast tracked this time unlike in recent decades when the nominees were finalised at the last minute.
The idea was to ensure that candidates get least two months' time to prepare for the elections.
In the first CEC meeting, a number of seats in many states including 20 odd in Uttar Pradesh, several in Bihar, Karnataka, Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh as also in Himachal Pradesh and some northeastern states were taken up for finalisation.
Discussion had taken place for over 100 seats that time.