POLLS have opened across Catalonia in a hotly contested election aimed at breaking a deadlock over the region's independence drive.

Voting began at 9am local time and nearly 2,700 polling stations will remain open until 8pm.

READ MORE: World's eyes turn to Catalonia ahead of today's fresh elections

The vote was called by Spain's central authorities after they seized control of the north-eastern region in late October. It will also be closely watched beyond the country's borders.

Opinion polls have shown fugitive and jailed pro-independence candidates neck-and-neck in opinion polls with unionists.

With a record turnout expected, more than a fifth of the 5.5 million eligible voters were thought to be undecided.