Spain's Council of State on Thursday, Oct 30, unanimously backed a move for the government to try to block a planned "consultation of citizens" on independence in the region of Catalonia on Nov 9, a spokeswoman for the consultative body said, according to Reuters.

The northeastern region earlier this month abandoned plans for a referendum on that day after it was blocked in the courts by the central government, and said instead it would hold a vote open to anyone who wants to cast their ballot.

The Council of State now wants the government to ask the Constitutional Court to declare this new vote illegal.