<h1>Over 166M Aadhaar Cards Linked to PAN; 877M Bank Accounts Connected with Aadhaar by March 2018.</h1> As of early March 2018, over 166 million Aadhaar cards have been linked with PAN cards, and approximately 877 million bank accounts have been connected to Aadhaar. Aadhaar-linked financial transactions involve multiple entities, including banks, NPCI, and UIDAI, with stringent security measures such as encrypted biometric data. The Aadhaar Act 2016 and related regulations strictly prohibit the sharing of core biometric information, deeming it sensitive personal information. Violations are considered criminal offenses, with penalties and imprisonment possible. Currently, 6,811 Aadhaar enrolment and update centers are operational in bank branches, as reported by a government official in Lok Sabha.