Police in Catalonia have sealed off 1,300 polling stations in the region as authorities move to stop an independence referendum which has been banned by Madrid from taking place, the central government said Saturday.

"Of the 2,315 polling stations... 1,300 have been sealed off by the Mossos d'Esquadra," the Catalan police force, said Enric Millo, the central government's representative in Catalonia, adding that 163 of these were being "peacefully" occupied by people who will be allowed to leave though no one will be allowed in.