CAIRO, October 3 (IslamOnline.net) – As voters cast their ballots Sunday, October 3, in the run-off polls of Kazakhstan’s controversial parliamentary elections, diplomatic sources see the elections a step in the country’s democracy drive.

The voters will decide the fate of 22 constituencies after the 45 others were settled in the first round which was held on September 19.

President Nursultan Nazarbayev's ruling Otan (Fatherland) party had won 60 percent of the votes in the first round while Ak Zhol (Bright Path) come second with 12 percent and Asar (All Together) third with 11.38 percent.

Under Kazakhstan’s electoral system, the Otan party will have seven out of a possible ten members of the 77-seat parliament elected proportionally, or by party list, with the remaining three seats given to Ak Zhol, Asar and Aist. Remaining seats are allotted to individual candidates.

"It is a serious attempt to enhance democratic reform in Kazakhstan," diplomatic sources at the Kazakh embassy in Cairo told IslamOnline.net.

"Democratic reform needs time to mature as was the case in Europe."

The sources said the reactions of the foreign observers who monitored the elections in Kazakhstan were positive.

"The observers visited 930 elections polling centers and met with 238 representatives of government institutions, parties and candidates, " they recalled.

The first round of the Kazakh elections had drew rebukes from the US and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe over failing international standards for democratic elections.

"There were serious shortcomings in voter lists, candidates' access to media and the tabulation of results," the US State Department had said.

"In addition, a number of aspects of the improved election law were not implemented effectively and impartially."

The OSCE echoed similar criticism.

"We believe the central election commission has functioned in an arbitrary, selective and non-transparent manner," said Robert Barry, head of an OSCE observer team.

Both sides, however, noted that the first round had seen some improvements, including the registration of opposition parties, the introduction of transparent ballot boxes, and changes in the election law.

The Kazakh opposition parties also blasted what they considered deliberate attempts to falsify election results.

"These elections are not a reflection of the people's will but a reflection of falsification and vote tampering," Ak Zhol (Shining Path) party said in a written statement.

Even some members of the Kazakh government had their reservations on the transparency of the elections.

"The elections were not fair, honest or free," Information Minister Altynbek Sarsenbaiuly, the only member of the government linked to an opposition party, told CNN.

"I do not consider it possible to remain part of a government ... that actively interfered in the electoral process and participated in fraud".

Observers were skeptical elections would empower the parliament, though opposition parties inside the legislature are expected to lay more pressures on the ruling regime.