Catalonia regional President Carles Puigdemont says he will keep his pledge to declare independence unilaterally if the "Yes" side wins Sunday's disputed referendum on secession from Spain.

In a televised address after polls closed, Puigdemont says Catalonia "has won the right to become an independent state."

He said a law passed by the Catalan parliament says a win of more than 50 percent for the "Yes" side will trigger a declaration of independence within 48 hours of the vote regardless of the turnout. The region has 5.3 million voters.

Spain's Constitutional Court suspended that law, but Puigdemont's government pushed ahead with the vote anyway. At least 844 people and 33 police were reported injured as Spanish police tried to halt the vote.

Source: AFP